The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Dr Hadiza Balarabe has said that the activities of the private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) have strengthened our common humanity.
Dr Balarabe who gave the commendation at the flag-off of distribution of CACOVID palliatives in Kaduna State, noted that the coalition ‘’went beyond providing medical supplies to doling out food stuff to those whose livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic in every state.’’
The Deputy Governor recalled that CACOVID was launched on March 6, 2020, with the apt motto of ‘’Staying Alive Together’’, adding that ‘’within a month, the impact of CACOVID has been felt throughout Nigeria.’’
Dr Balarabe lamented that ‘’Coronavirus has claimed so many lives across the globe, costing jobs and livelihoods in a new era of uncertainty.’’
‘’However, beneath the dark cloud of Covid-19, pleasant reaffirmations of the strength of our common humanity have manifested,’’ she added.
Dr Balarabe said that through the donations of elected officials and as well as private firms and individuals, ‘’Kaduna State Government tried to alleviate the hardship of the lockdown for poor and vulnerable persons.’’
‘’On 1st April. 2020, the state commenced the first phase of distribution of the palliatives in nine urban local government areas, ‘’ the Deputy Governor said.
According to her, the second phase of the distribution which commenced on 20th May, ‘’covered the other 14 local government areas and 32,000 households, representing 32 clusters, benefited from the second phase.’’
Dr Balarabe said that ‘’just as Covid-19 has exposed the inadequacies in our health sector, the distribution of palliatives has also further exposed the data limitations in our national planning.’’
‘’The absence of a comprehensive Social Register has meant that all our social intervention programmes are quite difficult to implement in ways that reach and benefit the intended recipients,’’ she added.
The Deputy Governor however said that Kaduna State Government is working to remedy this data deficit.
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