Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Friday hosted a delegation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation where he assured of the readiness of the State to support the new integrated health delivery programme of the Foundation as part of measures to improve access to Primary healthcare for Lagosians.

The Governor who spoke at the Lagos House, Ikeja, said that the present administration is opening its door of partnership as his government’s main focus is to bring healthcare delivery to the people at a minimal cost.

“We are willing and ready to support the new integrated health delivery programme that the foundation wants to put on the table. In Lagos here, you already have a willing partner because our main focus is bring healthcare delivery to the people with the minimal cost and dwindling financial revenue for the country which obviously is going to affect Lagos state”.

“No matter how much we do on our budgetary provisions, we also need complimentary efforts from Multilateral Agencies and Donors. And even private sector stakeholders to deliver health service to our people”, the Governor said in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna.

The Governor recalled that it was part of his electioneering promise to bring governance back to the communities and make life easier for the people saying the partnership with the Foundation speaks much to the need for community governance.

He said the dream of the present administration is to have village health worker in every nook and cranny of Lagos that would render service to the people 24 hours a day and seven days in a week.

The Governor said his government is also committed to ensuring that whatever is needed to be used as Key Performance Indicators to improve on the management of health care delivery would be employed.

Earlier, the Deputy Director, Integrated Delivery Global Development of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Carlos Cuellar who led the team, said they were in Lagos to discuss provision of healthcare to the poor and how to improve access.

He added that they intended to introduce the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to strengthen Primary Health Care Centres in Lagos and determine the willingness of Lagos to participate in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the State and the Foundation.

He said the Gates Foundation intends to obtain a letter of intent from the State Government to participate in future partnerships.

He said the Foundation is also keen on addressing the financial barriers to access to healthcare as well as involve the private sector and review performance indicators that would ensure that the performance of the centres are moved to a higher level.