By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi
The Bauchi state Government has commended the support of the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) with the construction of a New Oxygen Plant at the Ali Kwara General Hospital in Azare, headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area in the state.
The State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed also hailed the U N Agency for the renovation and equipping of 107 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), capacity building for health workers and continuous support for community structures including Volunteer Community Mobilizers (VCMs).
The Governor, while receiving the UNICEF team in Bauchi during a courtesy visit, also gave other support of the agency which included Mama to Mama Support Group, Community Resource Persons, and Community Health Influencers, Promoters and Services (CHIPS agents).
He recalled the recent emergence of Bauchi state as the second most healthcare improved state in the Northeast and by extension Nigeria as a whole under the PHC leadership challenge with the award of $400, 000 underscores his commitment to transforming the health of people of the state.
Senator Bala Mohammed therefore reiterated his commitment to fulfilling all government’s obligations and payment of counterpart funds, including Primary Health Care Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) contributions and non-MoU counterpart funds.
Mohammed assured that his administration has placed high priority on the health sector as demonstrated by the execution of laudable projects which included the construction and equipping of additional 50 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) three General Hospitals, and renovation and equipping of 200 primary healthcare centres across the state.
“More than 300 primary healthcare centres have received seeds stock to run a Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) so as to enable the supply of sustainable, affordable and quality essential drugs and medical consumables”, the governor said.
According to him, the state government has recruited 1, 600 health workers, as he also approved the employment of 100 doctors to man the various health facilities in the state.
He explained that these were in addition to the re-introduction of pre-service scheme to support students studying different health related courses with the hope that they will come back on graduation to work for the state, as efforts are also on deck to review the take home salary and allowances of state health workers as motivation to retain them.
Governor Bala said that to ensure a vibrant and healthy workforce that will drive the implementation of various government’s policies and programmes, he has approved the enrolment of all civil servants in the State Health Insurance Scheme, and their families with the release of funds to the agency already commenced.
Earlier speaking, UNICEF Bauchi Chief of Fielɗ Office, Dr. Tushar Manohov Rane said that his office appreciated anɗ acknowledged the partnership it has with the Bauchi state government.
“We have some very good initiatives, and robust partnership with the government of Senator Bala Mohámmed in education, and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) we had with him. Bauchi state was one of the pióneering and first looking, Bauchi was one of the first state to start and followed by many other states in the country”.
According to him, the foundation of the MoU is about transparency and trust they have put on each other, stressing that Bauchi has been on the forefront in such an initiative.
“We have seen reviews that have taken place which are very open with Aliko Dangote Foundation, and colleagues come to stick together, and the only intention is how to excel in the initiatives of Bauchi state”, he stated.
Dr. Tushar Rane noted with delight that Bauchi state has a very examplary leader with alot done or achieved under his stewardship, saying Governor Bala Mohammed was a wonderful leader per-excellence.
Rane, during the occasion, introduced the UNICEF Nigeria Ambassador in the person of Kate Henshaw whom
Rane, during the occasion, introduced the UNICEF Nigeria Ambassador in the person of Kate Henshaw whom, he said, was on the special team on support, add voice and influence stakeholders and beneficiaries on the agency’s immunization programme.
Also in the UNICEF’s delegation was it’s Chief of Communication, Mr. Rajat Madhok who was in the team to exerts his wealth of experience from different countries of the World, both the two to see UNICEF Bauchi initiatives, add more voice and efforts to the initiatives.
UNICEF Ambassador Kate Henshaw has however told Governor Bala Mohammed that her visit is a home coming, having had her NYSC at Wailo Camp in the state and served at the Bauchi General Hospital during the service year.
Henshaw said, “There is a proverb which says old men build trees that becomes shade for young people that would sit under them. I believe that the first important days of a child is 0 – 1000 days. And during this period, there are a lot of developmental stocks that have to be done”.
“As leaders, as mothers, mothers especially have been carrying the child in their wombs, you don’t want a child into the World that you leaves the child without any form of protection. That is why immunization is so important, nutrition is extremely important too, giving them the right choice so that they can grow up protected to contribute into their society”.
She explained that a child that is ill is a load on the healthcare system, stressing “We need children to grow as reproductive members of the society, and I crave the support of Governor Bala Mohammed for the Child Nutrition Fund the UNICEF has spoken to you about”.
Kate further told the Governor, “Whatever fund you put into it to make sure that every child in Bauchi state has access to nutrition, and they are also immunize to prevent them against preventable diseases and then they can also contribute positively to the development of Bauchi state”.
The UNICEF Chief of Communication, Mr. Rajat Madhok said that he was in Nigeria for over a year now, and described as fantastic the collaboration going on between Bauchi state and the agency.
Madhok said, “As UNICEF, we partner with celebrities around the World, we use their voices, influences to garner a momentum in achieving child’s rights and that is exactly why we stock Kate Henshaw and Ali Nuhu, among others, as the UNICEF champions in Nigeria.
Across the World we have other champions as well, the likes of celebrities from either film industry or sports industry.
The communication chief further explained that UNICEF in Nigeria is very proud to partner with the likes of Kate Henshaw and Ali Nuhu whom, he said, lends their voices to such important issues, and they are helpful to the agency.
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