Country Director of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Jeremie Zoungrana, has said that Primary Healthcare (PHC) is the cornerstone of the health system and can help prevent, treat and manage both infectious and non-communicable diseases and help the country to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

Speaking at the launch of TA Connect in Abuja, Zoungrana called for the strengthening of the Primary Healthcare systems and improve Service delivery in the country.

Zoungrana stated that all lives have equal value, adding that the foundation envisions a world where everyone has opportunity to live a healthy and productive life.

He explained that TA Connect is a BMGF Nigeria platform of advancing government health care strengthening agenda and to support states in the PHCs transformation journey through local organisations that have required competencies.

Zoungrana said that the TA Connect initiative would help the states meet their Health Sector Strategic Plan.

In his remarks, the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, observed that the TA Connect is targeted at Reproductive Maternal and Child health improving uptake and ensuring that services get to the grassroots and reducing maternal mortality and infant mortality to a barest minimal.

He noted that the TA Connect is working in eight states and is expected to expand to all the states across the country.

Also speaking, Executive Director of TA Connect, Dr. Lillian Anomnachi, explained that TA Connect is an innovative platform set up to respond to technical assistance priorities aimed at promoting sustainable improvements in the Primary Healthcare systems performance and will be a leading enabler of cost effective TA solutions beyond the Nigerian borders.

According to her, TA Connect initiative will promote sustainable improvements and increasing the uptake of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition services across the country.