By; TINA PHINEAS, Yola
In the quest to fulfill it’s mandate of child survival, development and protection of the rights of children, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with funding from the European Union has embarked on renovations and upgrading of 140 Primary Healthcare Centers across Adamawa State.
Dr Halima Abdu, Health Specialist, UNICEF Nigeria, Bauchi Field Office, made this disclosure on Monday, during handover of some of the renovated PHCs to Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State.
According to her, over the years, UNICEF has been partnering with Adamawa State Government in the key sectors of Health; Nutrition; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene; Basic Education; and Child Protection.
“UNICEF received support from the European Union in 2017 to support the State to implement health care services under the project titled, Strengthening Primary Health Care and Community Resilience for Improved Maternal, New-born, Child Health & Nutrition (MNCHN)” Abdu stated
The UNICEF health specialist maintained that the 54-million-euro multisectoral health and nutrition project being implemented across the three states of Adamawa, Bauchi and Kebbi has supported Adamawa State to ensure 226 Primary Health Care(PHC) Centres are functional 24 hours, 7 days a week.
” Provide integrated PHC services through capacity building for over 1,130 health workers on different PHC services and provision of equipment, motorcycles and essential medicines worth 1,856,643.65 USD distributed to the 226 PHCS and provision of a mobile storage unit worth 14,000 USD”
“We have also supported the State through this project with 2700 Community Resource Persons (CORPs), trained & kitted, who have provided appropriate treatment to 334,463 under 5 children aged 6-59 months, support universal health coverage achievement, delivery of health care to hard to reach settlements using mobile outreach teams and outreach services” She stated.
Abdu pointed out that UNICEF with the EU’s support has earmarked about 50% of the PHCs to undergo renovation of different sections of the health facilities including improving the Water and Sanitation to be completed and handed over in phases.
Earlier in her speech, the Executive Chairman of Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, (ASPHCDA), Dr. Batulu Muhammad commended and thanked the duo UNICEF and EU for bringing positive development to health sector in Adamawa State.
Muhammad who was represented by the Secretary of the agency, Abubakar Umar Maiha observed that UNICEF has contributed a lot to health care delivery in the state
” Capacity building for primary health care workers, provision of equipment, renovation of facilities and a host of other intervention”
She however charged the community members to maintain the facility for optimal health care delivery in the area.
Pastor Omega Nduakan, the coordinator of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, thanked UNICEF/EU for the provision of structure, process and quality services upon which the delivery of health care delivery thrives.
New Nigerian reports that the renovated and upgraded Primary Healthcare Centres handed over are: Major Aminu PHC, Nassarawo PHC, Jambutu and Malamre PHC.
