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Education

COVID-19: Abia to partner network providers for online classes in tertiary institutions

Partnership

By Ijendu Iheaka

Aba (Abia) March 25, 2020 (NAN) Dr Kanelechi Nwangwa, Abia Commissioner for Education says  the state will partner telecommunications service providers to encourage online lectures for tertiary institutions students during the Coronavirus break.

Nwangwa disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba on Wednesday.

NAN reports that Abia Gov., Okezie Ikpeazu,  last week announced immediate closure of tertiary institutions in the state in the bid to stop the spread of Coronavirus into the state.

Ikpeazu during the briefing, said that tertiary institutions in Abia would be given N10 million each to enable them set up mechanisms to teach their students using internet until the break ended.

“I know that we have only very few places where we cannot boast of network service.

“But Just as you have suggested, we will go into that aspect trying to get to the network providers to work out a partnership because partnership with them is a good idea,” he said.

Nwangwa said the effects of the decision to curb the spread of the virus including the closure of schools had left the state with “a situation” on their hands.

He noted that many undergraduates in tertiary institutions had laptops stressing that their capacity to connect to the network for the teaching project would not be a big problem.

“Part of what is happening is to get them (the schools) to change their system and incorporate that online learning aspect.

“The money is supposed to help them build it up and start using it before but the intention is for them to start using it now,” he said.

Nwangwa pointed out that  network providers in Abia had very effective data service which would enable many of the students to access the project.

“You know that necessity is the mother of invention. I think that the moment that system is started, many of them will cue into it.

“It is the conviction of the government that starting it will be a step in the right direction.

“It may not achieve everything it is set to achieve immediately but I know that with time, many of them will get used to it and the students will be better for it,” he said. (NAN)

IEI/CHOM/MNA 

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Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Maureen Atuonwu

Metro

FG seeks partnership to curb child labour

Partnership
By Tosin Kolade
Abuja, July 23, 2019 (NAN) The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr William Alo, has called for renewed partnership from all stakeholders to curb increasing rate of child labour in the country.

Alo made this call at a sensitisation rally to commemorate the 2019 World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL) in Nigeria held in Abuja.

According to him, child labour is the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives childhood, interferes with children ability to attend regular school, and is mentally, physically, socially or morally harmful.

He noted that child Labour, as it relates to market setting, was work done in the market that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and dignity.

He said this was harmful to their physical, moral and mental development and listed hawking in the market, begging using children, children carrying heavy load as well as wheelbarrow pushing as infringement on their rights.

“These activities as simple as they may look, affect the child’s well-being and dignity. These children are supposed to be in school in order to fulfill their dreams and not in market places working until they reach a certain age.

“Even if they have to be in market places assisting their parents/guardians, they should not be denied basic education at least up to junior secondary school level.

“We therefore enjoin the authorities of this market to help us and join in the fight against child labour by ensuring that Child Labour is not allowed in the market and its environs’’.

The permanent secretary called for stakeholders commitment by taking practical steps to ensure that children were in school or attend vocational training; and report such incidences of Child Labour to the ministry for action.

The Country Director, International Labour Organisation (ILO) Nigeria, Mr Dennis Zulu, noted that the organisation had been championing policies and programmes to fight child labour in the country.

He said that while Nigeria had ratified and domesticated several United Nations and ILO Conventions, statistics indicated that about 43 per cent of Nigerian children aged between five and 10 years were involved in child labour.

According to him, the children are involved in the worst form of child labour.

He added that this was not covered by any of Nigeria’s legislations and policies addressing forced labour, child labour, and human trafficking.

He said it was high time Nigeria stopped paying lip service to the fight against child labour.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Mu’azu Abdulkadir, said the ministry was addressing Child Labour through various activities including sensitisation programmes to inform miners of its dangers.

He said the ministry was also working on a campaign to address child labour through female empowerment.

He also noted that Nigeria was committed to being a pathfinder country for the alliance 8.7 which was launched in May in Nigeria.

Alliance 8.7 aims at a world without forced labour, modern slavery, human trafficking and child labour.

The World Day against Child Labour was established by the ILO in 2002 to focus attention on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it. (NAN)
TAK/GOM/IS
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Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam/Ismail Abdulaziz

Health

Bauchi Govt partner NGOs, Media to raise CBS issues

Bauchi Govt partner NGOs, Media to raise CBS issues
By Mohammed Ahmed Kaigama
Partnership ‎
Yankari (Bauchi State), Nov. 27, 2018 (NAN) The Bauchi State Government says it is collaborating the media and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to tackle low uptake of Child Birth Spacing (CBS) in the state.
The Deputy State Health Educator Primary Health Care Development (SPHCDA), Alhaji Ribadu Jibrin, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Yankari on Tuesday.
“CBS uptake was found to be low in the state because of low literacy rate.
“That is why we need NGOs and media to embark on adequate awareness creation and advocacy on the benefits of CBS.
“To also improve knowledge that uptake may impact positively on health indices especially in the rural communities in the state,” he said.
He said presently the state government is working with other NGOs including Challenge Initiative, Plan International and Breakthrough Action Nigeria in implementing CBS services in the state.
According to him, myths, misconceptions and beliefs play a role that people who practice CBS or contraceptives end up with health problems or permanent infertility.
“Or contraceptives reduce sexual urge and on the other hand increase promiscuity among women.
“Other contributing factors include low access to healthcare facilities and the patriarchal nature of societies,” Ribadu said.
He stressed that traditional rulers, religious leaders, health educators and caregivers were engaged to mobilise and sensitise the public on the importance of CBS in the state.
“We also constitute Social Behaviour and Communication Committee (SBCC) that comprises journalists, health educators, youth groups and Maternal Newborn Child Health officers of Local Government Areas.
“The committee is responsible for demand creation that is to developed Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials for public awareness on effective CBS,” he said.
He however called on the general public to embrace the CBS services with all seriousness.
The health educator noted that CBS services allows individuals to achieve desired birth spacing and family size and contributes to improved health outcomes for infants, children, women and families.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Bauchi state government in collaboration with The Challenge Initiative (TCI) organised the training for journalists, health educators and MNCH officers of local government areas on IEC materials.
The materials would be developed for adoption and implementation of high impact CBS that would improve maternal health in the state. (NAN)
MAK/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Education

Dundee, Nasarawa varsities partner on research, staff devt

Dundee, Nasarawa varsities partner on research, staff devt
By Awayi Kuje
Partnership
Keffi (Nasarawa State), Oct. 19, 2018 (NAN) Dundee University in Scotland has expressed its readiness to partner Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State, in the area of research and staff development.
Prof. Peter McEleavy, the University Academic Lead for Sub-Saharan Africa, made this known when the Emir of Keffi, Dr Shehu Yamusa III, led the team to visit the management of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, on Friday.
McEleavy, who is a professor of International Family Law, explained that they were in Keffi on a courtesy call on one of their Alumnus, who is the Emir of Keffi, and who graduated with Master Degree from Dundee varsity.
He described Dundee University as one of the topmost universities in the world with different areas of discipline, adding that the partnership will go a long way in improving on the standard of education not only in Nasarawa state but Nigeria at large.
“I look forward to begin discussion with you as the university Academic Lead for Sub-Saharan Africa and looking forward to establish teaching partnership, research and work together for mutual benefits,” he said.
Also speaking, the Emir of Keffi, Yamusa III, who is also the Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, said that Dundee University is one of the oldest universities that have different experts in almost all areas of educational development.
“We are here (Keffi) because I want to use the opportunity for them to see my university and to see where you can collaborate together and forge ahead for the development of education in the entire African continent.
“I believe with me around, I will make the collaboration stronger and stronger,” he said.
Responding, Prof. Suleiman Mohammed, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, thanked the traditional ruler for his role in ensuring that the two institutions partner for development purposes.
“The visit will provide us the opportunity to collaborate and relate particularly in the area of staff and students exchanges for cross fertilisation of ideas.
“We also solicit for your support in terms of our ICT infrastructure as the university is looking towards to complete the computerisation of all its activities.
“We can also seek your support in the area of library development, particularly your materials or e-library.
“I assure you of our collaboration, the university is happy, willing, excited and committed to partner with you for the development of our education sector,” he said. (NAN)
AKW/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Entertainment

World Tourism Day: NATOP seeks partnership with FG to boos sector

World Tourism Day: NATOP seeks partnership with FG to boost sector
By Collins Yakubu-Hammer
Tourism
Abuja, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) As the world celebrate World Tourism Day (WTD), the National Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) seeks partnership with Federal Government to boost the sector and generate more revenues for the overall growth of the country.

Hajiya Bilkisu Abdulsalam, the National President of NATOP, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

The 2018 theme for the WTD is “Tourism and Digital Transformation’’.

It is a day set aside by the United Nation World Tourism Organisation to create awareness on the need to appreciate tourism across the world.

She said it was regrettable that the nationwide strike action by the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress coincided with the WTD.

However, we must continue to celebrate the day, because it is a special day for tour operators and tourism actors across the world.

“We want to use the opportunity to call on government to collaborate with us to move the tourism sector forward and generate more revenue for the country.

“Also, government should create the enabling environment like good road network to tourist sites; provide adequate security in the country to encourage influx of foreign tourists.

“Our job as tour operators is to sell packages to foreigners to motivate them to come to Nigeria for holidays, entertainment and leisure.

“But when the security or safety and infrastructure are not adequate, it is hard to convince them to come to Nigeria; that is why we want the government to partner with us.

“Again, we are appealing to government to visit some sites and do the needful; we cannot do it alone. The country is losing millions of Naira on monthly basis to these challenge,’’ Abdulsalam said.

The NATOP president, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Bobooi Travel and Tour, said there were beautiful tourist sites in Nigeria, but that Nigerians prefer to go to other countries.

According to her, between 50 and 100 Nigerians are going to South Africa, Switzerland and Dubai for tourism monthly, regretting that people from those countries don’t visit Nigeria.

“The reason is not far fetch; inadequate security and infrastructure to encourage people to visit the tourist sites in Nigeria,’’ she said.

On classification of hotels in the country, the NATOP president said it was one of the major challenges facing the growth of the tourism sector.

“We cannot come out to say this is a three, four, five or seven star hotel; in other countries their hotels are classified alongside their prices.

“Before I send a client to any country, I let them know the classification and price rate of the different hotels. But in Nigeria we do not have such or a criteria to classify them.

“If government can collaborate with NATOP, we can set up a programme to check into these hotels, asses them and classify them accordingly; this will put them in the global map of tourism and hospitality.

“But the absent of classification is also affecting our hotels. Hotel owners have their own association and they pay tax. The different owners can confess to you the low level of patronage.

“Also, Minister of Tourism and Chief Executive Officers of tourism parastatals should avoid sending representatives to tourism events; they should come, listen to us and do the needful for the sector to move forward.’’

NAN reports that the nationwide strike by workers has affected this year’s WTD celebration in Abuja as the Ministry of Tourism, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation and other tourism and culture related agencies remain shut.

However, offices of NATOP, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria and other private sector operators in the sector remain open for normal services. (NAN)
CMY/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Yobe Govt partners NGO to boost healthcare delivery

Yobe Govt partners NGO to boost healthcare delivery
By Mohammed Mamman
Partnership
Damaturu, July 4, 2018 (NAN) Yobe Government says it will partner with the Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON) to improve budget and capacity of personnel in primary health institutions to curb maternal and infant mortality in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Local Government Affairs, Alhaji Yahaya Ado, disclosed this when officials of HERFON paid advocacy visit to the ministry.
Ado said that government accords prominence to healthcare delivery and was willing to partner with government and Non-Governmental Organisations to improve the lives of the people especially at the grassroots.
Alhaji Kalli Lawan, HERFON State Coordinator, commended the state government for making investments in the health sector.
He said in spite of the increased in budget of primary healthcare in the state from N360 million in 2017 to N998 million in 2018, there was a need for improvement in the operational activities of primary health facilities to yield results.
“The need for life saving commodities and capacity building for healthcare providers at the primary level remains crucial to improve healthcare in the rural areas,” Kalli said.
He assured that the foundation would engage health institutions and local government authorities in the state to improve the synergy among partners to save more lives.
“Most of the cases reported were avoidable cases, with more commitment, we can collectively reduce maternal and infant mortality in the state,” he said.
The coordinator appealed for cooperation among the stakeholders to work towards budget increase, capacity building and operational development to justify government’s investment in the health sector. (NAN)
MM/JPE/MST
Edited by Joseph Edeh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

How we are assisting VVF patients – UCH

How we are assisting VVF patients – UCH
Treatment
Ibadan, May 1, 2018 (NAN) Prof. Temitope Alonge, the Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital, Ibadan, says the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is partnering with the VVF centre in the premier health facility to address the condition, including reintegration of patients.
Alonge made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while fielding questions in Ibadan on the treatment and rehabilitation of VVF victims into the society.
“Fistula Care Plus, USA, began supporting the centre in 2012 to address complex cases. The centre is a training centre and accepts referrals from neighbouring state hospitals across the South West in addition to providing family planning services.
“A pool effort sponsored by a Nigerian Nollywood actress was successfully carried out in 2014 on 20 women.
“We were able to bring hope and succour to the women who had been suffering and living with this condition for varying periods of time. The women had repair surgeries done at no cost to them and their families.
“UCH reserves 14 bed spaces for fistula patients. But this has now been expanded to 21 bed spaces.
“Through collaboration with Fistula Care Project, we have been able to build community awareness and increase focus on the integration of family planning services with fistula and maternal health care,” he said.
NAN reports that UCH is the only facility in the South West Zone catering for VVF patients.
Alonge, however, called on the Federal Government, international health organisations and other stakeholders to partner Nigeria to fight the menace, saying it is becoming a threat to public health.
He also called on federal government and other philanthropists in the health sector to intervene in the rehabilitation of the victims in the country.
Another Fistula surgeon and Head of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at UCH, Prof. Ayo Arowojodu, told NAN that the federal government needs to strengthen the health system and change public perception about VVF.
“We have realised that early marriage is no longer one of the predisposing factors to developing VVF. Any woman can develop fistula at any age, if during delivery she fails to go to a place where she can get safe CS.
“Statistics show that every day, 145 women in Nigeria die giving birth. About 12,000 to 15,000 others end up with obstetric fistula, one of the complications of delayed birth.
“We need to ensure that the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria trains the medical students and house officers.
“This is because most Caesarean Section (CS) done in hospitals are not performed by specialists; we should tailor the training not only to the specialists but also to the younger medical officers,’’ he said.
A Surgeon in Ogun, Dr Adewunmi Alayaki, called on the federal government to subsidise the treatment of VVF.
He told NAN in Abeokuta that the treatment needed to be subsidised as most patients are indigent and could not afford to pay for the treatment.
Alayake, however, said the ailment was not too rampant in the South West Zone.
“The last one I saw was last year in the State Hospital Ilaro. I referred her to UCH Ibadan.
“Because it is not rampant here, we really don’t need a centre for it, the sub-specialist in the repair of it in our tertiary institutions are enough to take care of them,’’ he said.
Alayaki, a former Secretary of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), urged the appropriate authorities to engage in rigorous advocacy because of the way patients are treated as outcasts.
He also advised relations of the sufferers to exercise patience with them and give them lots of care and love while also looking for a way to cure them.
“We need a lot of advocacy on that; they are seen as outcasts and because there’s no money to treat them, coupled with the perpetual urine odour oozing out of them, nobody wants to associate with them.
“But if their relations and friends get to know there’s a solution which they can afford, I believe they should settle for that, rather than pushing them away,” he added.
In Osun, Prof. Orgy Ernest, a Consultant on Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, said victims of VVF needed encouragement and love from their relatives for them to be able to feel free in the society.

Ernest noted that early ante-natal care by pregnant women at recognised hospitals was one of the ways to prevent VVF.
He said husbands should encourage their wives to always patronise qualified doctors during pregnancy, adding that in case there was any complication, the doctors would be able to correct them immediately.
He said though VVF corrective surgery was expensive those who needed it should try everything possible to get it done.
Also speaking, Dr Rafiu Isamotu, the Osun Commissioner for Health, said reintegrating VVF victims back into society required joint efforts of individuals and government.
Isamotu said some VVF victims recently underwent free corrective surgery through the support of the state government at Wesley Hospital, Ilesa.
The commissioner said that the victims had been reintegrated back into the society quietly without any form of stigma.
“Government has being creating awareness on the causes and effects of VVF which is not that common in Osun.
“Private individuals can also play key roles through counselling, seminars, and also by going to rural areas to sensitise the people on the dangers of early marriages, among others.
“Although VVF is caused by many factors among which is prolonged child birth, there is urgent need for government and the media to partner in senstising people on the causes and prevention of VVF among women,’’ he said.
A Professor of Medical Sociology at the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Taiwo Christopher, deplored the stigmatisation of VVF patients.

“There have been calls that VVF patients be given treatment free of charge in the country through the collaboration of the Federal Government and other well-meaning individuals,’’ he said. (NAN)
Reporters/OJO/MST
Edited by Muftau Ojo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGO seeks partnership with FG on treatment of postpartum depression

NGO seeks partnership with FG on treatment of postpartum depression
NAN-HG-4
Partnership
By Yashim Katurak
Abuja, Feb. 6, 2018 (NAN) Dr Onyedikachi Ekwerike, President, Postpartum Support Network (PSN) Africa, has called for partnership with the Federal Government in providing adequate sensitisation and treatment of women with postpartum depression.
Ekwerike made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said that the organisation would mostly target rural communities in its sensitisation and awareness campaign.
Ekwerike said that the organisation has over the years grappled with lack of resources and unavailability of manpower to carry out its sensitisation across the country on postpartum depression.
He said that this also prevented it from providing the necessary adequate support in treatment of the condition to women across board.
Ekwerike said partnering with the federal and state governments, individuals and stakeholders would enable the organisation run an extensive programme dedicated to postpartum depression across the country.
“This will enable us also tackle issues relating to this condition, give women the medical training and support they require to manage the condition and possibly prevent it from even occurring.
“Women who suffer from postpartum depression do not have a good relationship with their infants as the mother and child face difficulty in bonding with each other.
“This will affect the overall development of the child and the woman is more likely to have a child that is living with a wide range of behavioural issues.
“We also need more psychologists and psychiatrists in government owned hospitals and even in primary healthcare centres where these women go to for ante-natal and post natal care.
“We do not have any collaboration for now with the federal government but we hope we can develop this partnership soon.
“Mental health awareness and treatment is not something that is taken seriously in this country more so maternal mental health, but we need to start from somewhere in addressing the condition.
“This is because the condition affects women greatly by putting them at risk of death by suicide.
“We also hope to develop a partnership with the Lagos state Government, specifically its Ministry of Health.
“Even though the state government has been very supportive by opening up the government owned hospitals in the state for us to provide this support to women we hope for more collaborations,” Ekwerike said.
He said that with the cooperation of the Lagos state government, the organisation has trained and provided support to women in 10 hospitals in the state in 2017.
Ekwerike said that the organisation hoped to reach out to 10 rural communities in the state and also train nurses on how to be emotionally intelligent this year.
According to him, “we have observed that sometimes the nurses themselves contribute to the problems these women already face.
“So we will train 100 nurses across the state and the training will be tagged ‘nursing with emotional intelligence’.
“We hope to extend our training programme on postpartum depression to other states like Portharcourt and the FCT,” Ekwerike said.
NAN reports that the organisation from Sept. 7, 2017, to Jan. 5, 2018, held training for 150 nurses and 20 medical doctors on how to identify and provide support to women suffering from postpartum depression in Lagos.
The training was part of its effort at tackling the rising cases of postpartum depression in the state.
Postpartum depression is a serious mental illness that affects one in seven women after childbirth. It is a treatable medical condition.
Women who experience the condition experienced one or more of the following: mood swings, anxiety, sadness, irritability, feeling overwhelmed, crying and reduced concentration.
Others include appetite problems, insomnia and difficulty bonding with the newly born baby. (NAN)
KRY/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

UHC: Health commissioners to partner NHIS

UHC: Health commissioners to partner NHIS
NAN-HG-5
Insurance
By Talatu Maiwada
Owerri, Nov. 2, 2017 (NAN) State Commissioners for Health and other stakeholders on Thursday commended the efforts of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) on the on-going forum organised on State Social Health Insurance Programmes.
The stakeholders, who made the commendation in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Owerri, sought partnership with the NHIS to enable states own, drive and sustain their health insurance scheme.
Dr Abduljalil Abdullahi, the Katsina State Commissioner for Health, commended the effort of NHIS, adding that Katsina state was making effort to key into the scheme by 2018.
“I commend the NHIS for organising this forum and I believe that with the level of engagement and further partnership we will commence our insurance programme by 2018.
“We have a draft law and we intend to make it an executive bill through the state Ministry of Health after which it would get to the executive council then to the state assembly.
“We intend to have a trust fund alongside the pool for the agency for its sustainability, because virtually all states receive below 50 per cent of the recommended budgetary approval,” Abdullahi said.
Dr Angela Uwakwem, Special Adviser to Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo on Health, also commended the effort of the NHIS in ensuring that all stakeholders scale up and improve access to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the states.
“This is very important because the Imo state government is ensuring that the Imo state health insurance bill presently before the state House of Assembly will be passed very soon.
“In Imo state, we hope to set the pace in establishing the social health insurance programme, thereby providing affordable healthcare for the poor and vulnerable group,’’ said the aide.
Dr Shola Akande, the Acting Executive Secretary, Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme (OYSHIS), said the state has an enabling law accented to by the governor on Dec. 1, 2016.
Akande said the scheme was launched on May 25, with 8,500 residents enrolled under the programme.
“The highlight of our law in Oyo state is that the programme was made mandatory for every resident both in the formal and informal sector.
“We started off with advocacy and enlightenment programmes to change the attitude and orientation of the people towards health insurance, while encouraging them to see the benefit of the scheme,’’ Akande said.
He called on the NHIS to provide financial support and partnership in strengthening the State Social Health Insurance Programmes (SSHIP). (NAN)
TIM/IFY/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Omowole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Kebbi Govt partners NURTW for emergency transportation

Kebbi Govt partners NURTW for emergency transportation
NAN-HG-8
Collaboration
By Shuaibu Tatu
Birinin Kebbi, Oct. 6, 2017 (NAN) The Kebbi State Government says it is collaborating with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for emergency transportation of pregnant women and children under five years in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Umar Kambasa, said this on Friday during the flag-off of distribution of health commodities and emergency transport scheme for pregnant women and children in the state in Birnin Kebbi.
“The Kebbi state government is to partner NURTW to reach out to 225 wards in all the 21 local government areas of Kebbi State which are out of reach due to their locations in riverine and mountainous areas,’’ he said.
Kambasa noted that the situation in those areas had claimed lives of many pregnant women and children due to inaccessible roads to the nearby hospitals.
He said: “It is also worthy of note that out of over 4,000 settlements in Kebbi State, 55% are hard-to reach based on their locations in riverine, mountainous, sandy or presence of gullies before accessing the settlements.’’
The commissioner disclosed that the state government is distributing drugs for the management of common ailments such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea and meningitis as well as delivery beds, ante-natal care beds and baby beds, among others.
The state NURTW Chairman, Alhaji Garba Danmallam, commended the state government and UNICEF for collaborating with the union.
“We have trained 500 drivers across the state to transport emergency cases of pregnant women from rural to urban areas,” Danmallam said.
The Chief Field Officer of UNICEF in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, Mr Mohammad Muhiddin, disclosed that out of 50 million Euro donated for the states to care for child education and health, Kebbi state got the highest allocation of N4 billion.
According to him, all the equipment donated by UNICEF to health centres in the state are all imported from Japan, stressing that they are cutting edge equipment.
Gov. Abubakar Bagudu thanked UNICEF and other technical partners for their collaboration to ensure improved healthcare services in the state.
Bagudu however called for sustained support to achieve the desired goal. (NAN)
SZT/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola