Bayelsa State has received recognition for its progress in healthcare delivery and education, earning an award from the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) for immunisation efforts and ranking fifth in the country in the Teachers’ Professional Qualifying Examination.
The State Executive Council presented the recognitions to Governor Douye Diri during its 193rd meeting at the Government House in Yenagoa.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, said the US CDC award, presented in partnership with the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), acknowledged the state’s improvements in disease surveillance and vaccine coverage.
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He highlighted key achievements, including reducing the number of children without access to routine vaccines from 4,000 to 2,100 within a year, while immunising more than 30,000 children.
The state also partnered with drone delivery company Zipline to transport vaccines and essential medical supplies to hard-to-reach riverine communities.
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Bayelsa ranked first among states involved in the pilot phase of the malaria vaccine programme and trained more than 720 primary healthcare workers deployed across remote areas.
The commissioner added that the state expanded healthcare access through the deployment of tricycle ambulances and the integration of cottage hospitals into the primary healthcare system.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Education, Gentle Emelah, announced that Bayelsa placed fifth nationwide in the Professional Qualifying Examination organised by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
He said the achievement reflected the state government’s continued investment in improving education standards, following its recent first-place ranking in the National Examinations Council (NECO) examination for students who obtained five credits, including English and Mathematics.
Reacting to the achievements, Diri commended the Ministries of Health and Education but urged them to set higher targets.
He directed the health ministry to ensure that all eligible children receive vaccines, noting that about 2,000 children remained unvaccinated despite the progress recorded.
The governor also challenged teachers and education stakeholders to work towards placing Bayelsa among the top three states in teacher certification and eventually achieving the number one position nationally.
Diri said the achievements showed that the government’s policies and investments were producing measurable results across ministries, departments and agencies.
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On power supply, the governor assured residents that the ongoing expansion of the state’s independent power project would eventually connect all parts of Yenagoa to the gas turbine network.
He appealed for patience over technical challenges affecting some areas and warned residents against spreading unverified information that could threaten the state’s peace and security.
