The Kebbi government has annouced that it has set aside N260 million to support the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to fight infant and maternal mortality in the state.

The state government also introduced a committee for the implementation of the foundation's project.

The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Shehu Sambawa, who inaugurated the committee, said it was set up to avoid duplication of efforts in health care delivery.

He said that N100 million was voted for purchase of drugs to combat the infant mortality and child killer diseases, while N160 million was for the 2014 National Health Insurance.

Sambawa said that the state would also purchase drugs that would be dispensed to pregnant women for free to sustain the low rate of maternal mortality.

The commissioner commended other donor agencies for strengthening health care service delivery in the state.

However, the foundation had launched a pact on the reduction of infant mortality, early deaths as well as prevention of pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria.

The foundation’s state coordinator, Malam Nura Muhammad, commended the state government for inaugurating the committee.

Muhammad also noted that the existence of the committee would reduce duplication and provide maximum benefits in service delivery.

He said the foundation would support government in the purchase of drugs and interaction with the communities on the eradication of pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria.

The Country Director of the foundation, Dr Audu Liman, who spoke on behalf of the International donors, said the foundation would continue to support government in the health care delivery service.

"The foundation and the international donors will continue to support the state on the supplies of essential medicines for the treatment of childhood illnesses and data to reduce wastage of resources," he said.

The committee was made up of professionals from the state primary health care agency, traditional leaders, local government officials and pharmaceutical firms, among others.