SPEAKER
Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe
Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe is the current Deputy Governor of Kaduna State. A seasoned consultant community physician, she has more than two decades experience in public health practice. She has held multiple positions within the Federal Capital Development Authority, culminating in her appointment as Director of Public Health in 2014. In 2016, she assumed the role of Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency. Her leadership and technical skills were brought to the fore in the Agency in championing the implementation of Primary Health Care Under One Roof in the state, with remarkable and commendable results, including revitalisation of 255 ward focal primary health care centres, expansion and consolidation of partnerships with donors and development partners. Her exemplary performance as the ES of the KSPHCB led to her being nominated and subsequently elected as the Deputy Governor, a position she has held since 2019 – the first female to be elected to such a position in the state.
In her capacity as Deputy Governor, she has been remarkably proactive as the chairperson of numerous committees, councils, and boards. Some of these include Kaduna State Transition Committee, pioneer Chairman of Kaduna State Human Capital Development Council, pioneer Chairman of Kaduna State Procurement Monitoring Council, Chairperson, Kaduna State Task Force on Primary Health Care (PHC) Strengthening and Routine Immunization.
Dr Balarabe has contributed immensely to public health development, especially in Kaduna State Covid-19 Response; FCT Ebola virus Response and Championing Girl-child Education and Women political participation. She led the COVID-19 response with such remarkable performance that the state got commendations from NCDC. She has also served as the chairperson of the PHC Task Team, and under her leadership the state won the zonal price for the PHC Leadership Challenge.
Dr Balarabe is the Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health of the National Postgraduate Medical College (FMCPH, 2004) and a Member of the West African College of Physicians (2001). She has attended several training courses within and outside the country on leadership and health financing, among others. She is a recipient of numerous awards and a traditional title holder,