Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved the immediate payment of, at least, N282m in counterpart funding to deepen access to primary healthcare, health insurance and nutrition for under-three children in the state.
AbdulRazaq’s Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the N282m includes N100m counterpart funds for Basic Healthcare Provision Funds (BHPV); N50m for Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN); and another N82m to access global grants for malaria.
He said the release of the counterpart funds for BHPV would grant Kwara access to the World Bank/Federal Government’s grant to cater for health needs of pregnant and nursing women and children.
“Access to such funds will help combat maternal mortality rate and other basic health challenges related to women and children. Apart from this, the funds will help to fix facilities for primary health care and reduce the pressure on secondary and tertiary health institutions,” Ajakaye said.
He also said the counterpart funds for ANRIN will grant Kwara access to donor funds to boost nutrition needs of children, in what is a practical step to end the menace of stunting and wasting among young children.
“The N82m counterpart funding for malaria is to ensure that Kwara also benefits from Global Funds, set aside by donor agencies to combat malaria.” he explained.
AbdulRazaq’s release of the counterpart funding for healthcare late Monday came almost simultaneously with the payment of the N450m Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), which the agency insisted was diverted by the last administration.
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