By Hajara Leman
Kwami (Gombe) Mr Peter Hawkins, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Representative in Nigeria, says China and UNICEF’s one million US dollars intervention has reduced pregnancy induced deaths in Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe state.
Hawkins stated this in Gadam community of Kwami LGA on Thursday during the closeout ceremony of support to Primary Health Care (PHC) revitalisation for improved maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) outcomes in Kwami LGA.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Kwami LGA in Gombe state was selected to benefit from China’s South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund (SSCAF) which was set up specifically to assist developing countries to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the SDGs and 10 health facilities identified for the project.
The UNICEF’s representative said the facilities had improved the health status of women and children through the revitalisation of the primary health care delivery system thereby, bringing Covid-19 vaccination points within reach.
He said the facilities were furnished , drugs were provided which in turn brought quality healthcare closer to the people, especially expectant mothers.
Hawkins said the facilities were providing 24 hours service which had given the women the opportunity to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as well as antenatal and post natal services.
“ We hope that the experience in Kwami would be replicated in other parts of the state saying “ the fund invested , training of staffing would improve the health for mothers and children in the entire state”.
He said that UNICEF was restricted to one local government out of the 11 in the state to serve as model for the rest.
” And we are glad and convinced because Kwami has responded well,” he explained.
Dr Manasseh Jatau, Deputy Governor of Gombe State said UNICEF’s intervention had helped to caution the challenges faced by women and children considering their vulnerable nature.
He said the present administration in the state had prioritised health assuring that the programme would be sustained adding that ” the involvement of the state government in the area of health was deliberate efforts bearing in mind that health is central and famous in every human endeavor”.
He said the growing activities of UNICEF in the country and Gombe State in particular had impacted on the lives of the people over the years.
In his welcome speech, Dr Habu Dahiru Commissioner of Health appreciated the Chinese Government and UNICEF for their assistance in enhancing access to health care delivery for the overall good of the people.
Dr Abduraham Shuaibu, Executive Secretary Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, said prior to the project there were inadequate infrastructure, equipment and personnel among other things, adding that “ but the project had impacted positively on the health sector”. NAN
