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FCTA to recruit 200 midwives in 2018 – Minister

FCTA to recruit 200 midwives in 2018 – Minister
By Mustapha Sumaila
Recruitment
Abuja, April 11, 2018 (NAN) No fewer than 200 midwives will be recruited this year to boost primary health care services by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), says the FCT Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Bello.

Bello disclosed this when receiving the Director-General of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, who visited Kuchigoro Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), Abuja, on Wednesday.
NAN recalls that President Buahri launched the Kuchigoro PHC as a pilot of the revitilisation project on Jan. 3, 2017.
Represented by the Secretary of Education, FCTA, Sen. Isa Maina, the minister said that the plan to engage the midwives had been captured in 2018 budget.
He explained that FCTA was working with the six area councils to upgrade all the primary healthcare facilities in the territory.
According to him, the plan is to have functional PHCs that will provide quality healthcare services like maternal healthcare, treatment of common ailments, immunisation, and HIV counseling and testing.
Bello said that the FCTA had constructed and equipped 18 PHCs across the FCT.
He said that additional 18 were being reconstructed and renovated to provide healthcare services to the people at the grass roots.
“Our communities are being mobilised to own the project for sustainability and maintenance.
“We welcome the support and cooperation of WHO in revitalising our PHCs for improved infrastructure,” he said.
The Acting Executive Secretary of FCT Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr Mathew Ashikeni, later told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the event that the board was doing everything possible to ensure maintenance of PHCs in the territory.
Ashikeni said that Community Based Committees have been set up to ensure involvement of the people so as to take ownership of the facilities. (NAN)
MS/KTO/MST
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

HP+, FCTA inaugurate group to improve health financing

HP+, FCTA inaugurate group to improve health financing
NAN-HG
Financing
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, March 12, 2018 (NAN) The Health Policy Plus (HP+), an NGO, in collaboration with Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has inaugurated Health Financing Technical Working Group (HFTWG) to strengthen health financing system in the territory.
Inaugurating the group in Abuja on Monday, the Country Director of HP+, Mr Onoriode Ezire, said the step was taken to improve access to healthcare for the well being of FCT residents.
Ezire explained that FCT was in dire need of sustainable and predictable improvement in its health financing system to make the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goal achievable.
He said that the HFTWG would act as catalyst to drive the needed health financing reform in the FCT as is operational at national level.
“This inauguration of the group marks the beginning of our work and the outcome will change the narrative in the health sector in the territory.
“We need to commend the leaders of Health and Human Service Secretariat (HHSS), especially the Secretary, Mrs Amanda Pam, for their commitments to the project.
“HP+ has pedigree and we have the capacity to deliver and we are appealing to FCTA to show more commitment and maximum support,” he said.
The country director disclosed that his organisation had worked in Sokoto, Bauchi and Ebonyi states in 2017 to improve their health systems.
In her remarks, Pam noted that the inauguration of the group was a good development for her secretariat as well as the territory.
Represented by Alhaji Surajo Faskari, the Director Administration and Finance in the secretariat, Pam charged the group to advise, coordinate, report and support roles in the implementation to improve funding of healthcare in FCT.
She described members of the group as passionate and resourceful individuals and organisations that would provide technical support to the health financing unit of the secretariat.
The Chairman of the group, Dr Mohammed Kawu, expressed appreciation to USAID which brought in HP+ to offer such intervention to improve the health system in the territory.
Kawu stated that no state needed this kind of intervention like FCT because of several challenges that confronted it like the case of polio being among the high risk states in the country.
He pledged on behalf of other members to work strictly in accordance with terms of reference and ensure the health policy in FCT was well implemented.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the group were drawn from government establishments, private organisations, health associations and civil society groups, among others. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Measles: FCTA conducts mop up vaccination

Measles: FCTA conducts mop up vaccination
NAN-HG-2
Measles
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Feb. 26, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Development Board has commenced a mop up vaccination on measles to ensure all the children in the territory were immunised.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Mathew Ashikeni, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
NAN recalls that the two weeks measles vaccination which ended last Thursday targeted 619,000 children from nine months to five years.
Ashikeni explained that the need for mop up became necessary to ensure all the missed children during the main exercise were captured.
He said that the mop up will be held in Abuja Municipal Area Council and some wards in the five other area councils.
“This mop up exercise which we just commenced on Sunday will last for one week and our goal is to ensure we achieve 100 per cent coverage.
“And within this period, the vaccines will be available in our health centres and hospitals to ensure children who could not get it during the just concluded immunisation will be given the opportunities to be vaccinated,” he said.
The scribe appealed to parents and caregivers whose children were not immunised to bring them out for the mop up exercise.
He said that in spite the few cases of missed children, the vaccination had recorded a tremendous success in the territory. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FCTA board wants more cold-chains for vaccines storage

FCTA board wants more cold-chains for vaccines storage
NAN-H-55
Vaccine
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Feb. 13, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Development Board has appealed to the FCT Administration and area councils to provide more cold-chain facilities for the storage of vaccines in the territory.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr Mathew Ashikeni, made the appeal while speaking on the ongoing measles immunisation in the territory during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
Ashikeni explained that inadequate cold rooms for the vaccines were part of the challenges faced in the ongoing exercise in FCT.
However, he said that the board got some facilities and equipment from Kaduna State to use for the immunisation to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of the vaccination programme.
According to him, the health workers being used are also inadequate and there is need for the FCT administration to engage more hands.
“We seriously need more cold-chain system for the storage of our vaccines and we had to go to our neighbouring states like Kaduna to get such.
“Our health workers are equally inadequate that is why our activities are staggering because obvious challenges and that is why we are not doing the immunisation in all the places concurrently,” he said.
The secretary described the turn out of the children for the vaccination so far as tremendous and massive.
Ashikeni expressed joy for the awareness created by media before the commencement of the programme which in turn resulted to the massive turnout.
“Some schools in FCT were calling us to come and vaccinate their pupils; that show people have realised the danger of measles,” he said.
NAN reports that the vaccination which commenced on Feb. 8, will end on Feb. 20, and 619,000 children are expected to be immunised. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FCTA promises new NYSC camp in 2018

FCTA promises new NYSC camp in 2018
NAN-HG-2
Camp
By Yashim Katurak
Abuja, Feb. 5, 2018 (NAN) The FCT Minister, Malam Mohammed Bello, says a new a permanent Orientation Camp for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the territory will be constructed this year.
Bello said this on Monday at the closing ceremony of the three weeks Orientation Course for the 2017 Batch B stream II set of corps members.
However, he promised that the construction of the camp would commence as soon as the 2018 budget was passed.
Bello, who was represented by Mr Oladimeji Hassan, Chairman, NYSC FCT Governing Board, said the delay in passage of the budget was the major factor delaying commencement of work at the camp site.
The proposed location for the construction of a permanent orientation camp for the NYSC in FCT is Kwali.
The minister said: “The FCT administration is working assiduously to ensure the permanent orientation camp in Kwali is started and completed in good time.
“We encountered a little constraint in starting construction because of the delay in the passage of the 2018 budget.
“As soon as the budget is passed we will commence work there and in a couple of years the camp will be in full use by the NYSC.
“The current orientation camp which we promised to rehabilitate; we are working on that as we have completed construction of two new hostels.
“We will continue to make efforts toward completing the rehabilitation.
“We have plans to work on the camp fields for the purpose of recreation.
“The administration is not taking lightly the life and comfort of corps members in terms of amenities, water, sanitation, beddings, and all we will continue to do our best.’’
The minister urged the corps members to accept their postings in good faith and proceed to their places of primary assignment without delay.
He advised them to respect the socio-cultural and religious leanings of their host communities.
The minister also advised them not to embark on any journey during the service year without permission.
Bello said those caught defaulting would be punished according to the laid down rules and regulations.
He urged them to key into the You-Win and M-Power programmes of the Federal Government aimed at empowering the youths and changing their lives.
The NYSC FCT Coordinator, Mr Bello Ballama, said the scheme had reached out to more employers to accept their services to stop corps rejection.
He however said that employers who agreed to this must accept to accommodate the corps members and pay them allowances as at when due.
According to Ballama, to address corps rejection we have also covered any loophole that may allow corps members to determine where they want to serve.
This, he said, would ensure that the scheme posts corps members where they were most needed.
“The orientation course in the FCT was a huge success. There were no cases of serious ill health except the usual malaria and typhoid fever;
“corps members also behaved themselves properly and we hope for the best this service year.
“To address cases of corps rejection which corps members usually face, we reached out to employers to request for the services of these corps members and we have ensured that they provide accommodation and allowance to them.
“We have also gone the extra mile to ensure corps members are not allowed to determine the places they want to serve,” Ballama said.
The 2017 Batch B Stream II Orientation Course which commenced on Jan. 16 ended on Feb. 5.
Two thousand, three hundred and seven corps members were dully registered and participated in the course.
Earlier in an interview with newsmen, the former NYSC FCT Coordinator, Mr Abdulrazak Salawu, urged the FCT administration to double efforts toward the construction of the permanent camp.
Salawu said that the NYSC FCT needed to relocate its orientation camp away from the present location as residential houses were now situated near it.
He also urged the administration to support the NYSC in rehabilitating the existing camp facilities at Kubwa. (NAN)
KRY/JEY/MST
Edited by Johnson Eyiangho/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Measles: FCTA to hold vaccination in 3,998 settlements

Measles: FCTA to hold vaccination in 3,998 settlements
NAN-HG-5
Measles
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Feb 1, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it has identified 3,998 settlements for vaccination against measles.
The exercise would hold between Feb. 8 and Feb. 20.
The Secretary of Health Secretariat and Human Resources, Mrs Amanda Pam, announced at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.
Pam, who was represented by Dr Bamidele Babade, a Director from the secretariat, said that all the eligible children within the settlements have already been identified with a view to immunise all of them.
She explained that about 620,000 children are targeted to be immunised, while 1,400 team of vaccinators had been engaged to carry out the exercise across the six area councils in the territory.
According to her, the forthcoming vaccination is targeting 100 per cent coverage because no child from nine months to five years in the FCT will be left out.
The secretary stated that certified health workers have been engaged and trained to conduct the immunisation.
“The FCT Minister, Alhaji Musa Bello, gives health a high priority as he has already released the counterpart funding for the exercise.
“For the fact that we didn’t meet the target in 2015 campaign has made FCT to have pockets of cases of measles in some parts of the territory and we will not allow such to happen this time around.
“We have mapped out our strategies to ensure that every child in the identified settlements including IDPs and nomadic is immunised,” she said.
Pam tasked the media to help in mobilising parents and caregivers to bring out their kids for the vaccination. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Measles: FCTA targets 700,000 children for immunisation

Measles: FCTA targets 700,000 children for immunisation
NAN-H-75
Measles
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Jan. 18, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Development Board says over 700,000 children will be immunised against measles in the immunisation exercise scheduled to hold in February.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Mathew Ashikeni, disclosed this at the sensitisation meeting for measles vaccination campaign in Abuja on Thursday.
According to Ashikeni, the forthcoming immunisation is targeting 100 per cent coverage to ensure every child from nine months to five years in the territory is vaccinated.
He disclosed that the FCT Minister, Alhaji Musa Bello, had already approved funds to be released for the programme.
“1,370 vaccinators will be engaged to carry out the exercise across the six area councils” in the FCT, he said.
He added that out of this figure, 1,215 regular teams would be deployed to normal vaccination centres, while 155 special teams would posted to places like markets, streets and other public places.
The acting executive secretary said that 3,008 vaccination sites had been designated for the exercise, adding that there will be fixed centres in PHC facilities and other new ones will be created.
Ashikeni stated that only competent and licensed nurses would be engaged to carry out the vaccination.
“We are targeting 100 per cent coverage and will do everything possible to make sure no child in the territory is left out.
“We have mobilised all our stakeholders and put necessary things in place to adhere strictly to standards that will ensure a successful immunisation exercise,” he said.
He noted that the FCT administration was committed to prevent the outbreak of measles in the territory because “a lot of the cases of blindness you see among our children is the consequence of complications from measles and it is also life threatening.
“Measles cause brain infection, life threatening diarrhoea, vomiting and malnutrition, and many affected children die if it is not properly managed,” he added.
Ashikeni appealed to parents and guardians to bring their children out to be immunised in the exercise that would commence from Feb. 8 to 20.
He said that the exercise would be conducted in phases, Abuja Municipal Area Council and Bwari would hold theirs from Feb. 8 to 13, while the remaining four area councils would start on Feb. 15 through Feb. 20. (NAN)
MS/IFY/MST
Edited by Ify Omowole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

WHO appeals to FCTA, area councils to boost vaccine storage

WHO appeals to FCTA, area councils to boost vaccine storage
NAN-HG-3
Vaccine
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Jan. 16, 2018 (NAN) The World Health Organisation (WHO) has appealed to the Federal Capital Administration (FCTA) and area councils to provide more Cold-chain storage facilities to ensure quality vaccines are given to children for immunisation.
The State Coordinator of WHO in FCT, Hajia Fureratu Zakari, made the call at the Task Force Meeting on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunisation in Abuja on Tuesday.
Zakari decried the poor and inadequate refrigerating storage facilities in the territory, pointing out that for the quality of vaccines given to the children to be guaranteed, there must be a good and effective cold chain system.
“I am making a passionate appeal to the six area councils in the FCT to work hard to support, provide and persuade FCTA to offer cold chain storage system for effective and efficient immunisation in the territory.
“I am equally pleading with the FCTA and area councils to release funds for immunisation programme in good time because early planning is highly needed for a successful vaccination exercise,” she said.
The Sarki Giwa (Chief of Giwa), Alhaji Idris Mohammed, said he would use his position to influence the appropriate authority to ensure that cold chain storage facilities were provided for effective immunisation.
Mohammed noted that there could not be quality vaccines without effective and functional cold chain storage system.
Reacting, the Acting Executive Secretary of the FCT Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr Mathew Ashikeni, said that his board was doing everything possible to improve the cold chain facilities in the territory.
According to him, plans are on the way to expand the Apo Cold Chain Storage facility. (NAN)
MS/IFY/MST
Edited by Ify Omowole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FCTA immunises 800,000 children against polio

FCTA immunises 800,000 children against polio
NAN-HG-4
Immunisation
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Dec. 27, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it has immunised about 800,000 under five children against polio during the just concluded Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week in Abuja.
Dr Mathew Ashikeni, the Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Health Care Development Board, disclosed this on Wednesday to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Ashikeni explained that apart from the children vaccinated against polio, the same number of under five children were provided with vitamin A vaccine across the country.
He said that not less than 800,000 of them were also dewormed during the exercise that lasted for one week.
According to him, the Vitamin A which the children receive twice in a year will help to improve vision and boost their immunities.
The secretary disclosed that Nutrition Screening was also conducted for the children with a view to treat those children that were malnourished in the territory.
“We gave virtually all vaccines required for children during the one week exercise including BCG.
“We had 90 per cent coverage across the FCT because of huge awareness creation and media sensitisation before the commencement of the programme in November.
“We even received a lot of calls from residents, asking us to come to their houses to immunise their children.
“There was some pockets of non-compliance in our October SIPD because of the rumour of monkey pox in the territory that time but that has been corrected and people really came out for this vaccination,” he said.
Ashikeni stated that media sensitisation and awareness creation by partners prior to the MNCH week had helped to diffuse misconception about vaccinations in FCT. (NAN)
MS/AOM/MST
Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FCTA health sector renders 2017 scorecard

FCTA health sector renders 2017 scorecard
NAN-HG-4
Accountability
By Bukola Adewumi
Abuja, Dec. 20, 2017 (NAN) The FCT Health and Human Service Secretariat (HHSS), on Wednesday said that its subsidiary, the Private Health Establishment Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC), has generated more than N60 million in 2017.
Mrs Amanda Pam, the Secretary, HHSS, disclosed this while rendering the HHSS 2017 scorecard at its end of year media briefing in Abuja.
The HHSS is a mandate secretariat of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
Its functions include provision of medical and hospital services, health policy formulation and planning, regulation and oversight functions for all private medical service providers and manpower development.
Pam said that a total of 122 private health facilities were registered and issued provisional registration certificates in the course of the year.
She said that 666 inspections were conducted in 220 private health care facilities in all the area councils in the FCT.
According to Pam, the deployment of electronic medical records system is currently in six of the 13 public secondary health facilities, representing 46 per cent of the FCTA hospitals.
“The FCT HHSS has developed the FCT 2017 – 2021 strategic development plan along with all the 36 states of the federation.
“We have achieved results in primary health care service delivery in underserved communities of the FCT, through the Saving of One Million Lives Programme,’’ she said.
The HHSS scribe said the secretariat also commenced clinical activities in two hospitals; namely Karu General Hospital and Zuba Cottage Hospital.
She said that accreditation was secured for the Asokoro and Bwari General Hospitals for residency training in Ophthalmology from the West African College of Surgeon.
“Two primary health care facilities were reconstructed, equipped and put to use in Gbaupe, Jikoko of Kuje and Bwari Area Councils, respectively,’’ Pam said.
The scribe however listed the challenges confronting HHSS to include over-dependence on donor support for FCT HIV/AIDS response.
“The fact that there still were no legislation on the Primary Healthcare Board Establishment, FCT School of Nursing and Midwifery Act was also a challenge,’’ she said.
According to her, other pending legislations are the Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of FCT Health Insurance Scheme and other Matters and the FCT Hospital Management Board Establishment Bill.
Besides, the HHSS scribe listed inadequate manpower attrition, overstretched healthcare facilities and inadequate funding as other major challenges confronting the secretariat.
She said that staff employment would be visited in line with budgetary provision for 2017.
Pam added that the secretariat would also source for replacement of old and substandard equipment for the hospitals. (NAN)
BOL/COF/MST
Editing by Oluyinka Fadare/Muhammad Suleiman Tola