The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says it has spent $1 million to improve healthcare services, and reduce maternal and children’s mortality in 13 communities of Kwami LGA of Gombe State.
Representative of UNICEF in Nigeria, Mr Peter Hawkins, disclosed this Sunday during a closing ceremony of support to the 13 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), revitalised under an initiative tagged, ‘Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Outcomes’ in the Kwami Local Government Area.
North East Trust reports that the MNCH Outcomes is a $1 million initiative funded by the Chinese government launched in 2020 under the China’s South South Cooperation Assistance Fund (SSCAF) with the overall aim of accelerating maternal, newborn and child health.
Kwami LGA was selected in Gombe State to benefit from the SSCAF, which was set up specifically to assist developing countries to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the SDGs.
The 10 PHC facilities that benefitted in Kwami LGA include; Bojude, Daban Fulani, Doho, Dukkkul, Gadam, Jurara, Komfulata, Kwami, Mallam Sidi and Malleri.
Mr Hawkins stated that the facilities have improved the health status of women and children through the revitalisation of the primary healthcare delivery system, thereby bringing COVID-19 vaccination points closer.
According to him, the programme is a joint partnership between Gombe State government, the UNICEF and the Chinese government.
He said the facilities were furnished and provided with drugs, “which brought quality healthcare closer to the people.
“As such, people visited the PHCs, especially pregnant women, to get 24-hour service. As you know, immunisation is important especially now with the COVID-19 vaccine. So, this now provides an opportunity for them to get vaccinated.
“This will go a long way to help reduce maternal and child mortality. The challenge is to ensure that the experience in Kwami LGA is replicated in other parts of the state, that is the level of investment in training and staffing, to ensure that the health of mothers and children in the state is improved.”
The deputy governor of the state, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau, said UNICEF’s intervention has helped to cushion the challenges faced by children, especially in the rural areas.
“It is in cognisance of this imbalance that the United Nations, through the UNICEF, evolved programmes meant to assist them realise their full potential, thereby raising the standards of living of the general population,” he said.
