The Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA), has explained modalities for distribution of the 7 million Euros (N2.4 billion) worth of medicines and health equipment donated by the European Union (EU), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), PLAN International and other development partners.
Executive Chairman of the Agency, Mr. Adamu Gamawa, disclosed in an interview with Daily Sun.
He said that the distribution of the items would commence once the renovations of the 162 health centres facilities across the state were completed.
“We didn’t start the distribution because of the renovation. We will also pack the equipment and each equipment should bear Primary Health Care Agency Bauchi and will be inscribed on it so that it will be like a security for it. So we are still waiting for them to unleash the two items before we begin distribution. The medicines and hospital equipment will be distributed very soon,” he said.
Gamawa also said that the health facilities were being renovated by the EU directly through the UNICEF across the state to improve maternal, new born and child health to support the implementation of one Primary Health Care PHC per ward in the 323 wards of the 20 Local Government Areas of the state
He commended the EU-UNICEF and partners for the support to boost Maternal, New-born and Child health services in the state.
Gamawa said it was gratifying to note that the renovation of health facilities and supplies would contribute to the optimal functionality of the 323 PHCs in the state that would open 24 hours-a-day, seven-days—a-week, providing quality services.
The European Union (EU), in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), had earmarked 54 million Euros for Maternal, New-Born, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) outcome project in three northeast states (Bauchi, Adamawa and Kebbi).
UNICEF Country Representative, Mohammed Malick Fall, while handing medicine and health equipment to Bauchi State Government said of the 54 million Euros, the EU has provided 50 million Euros through a grant; the UNICEF contributing 1 million Euros while the three benefiting states were to provide 1 million Euros as government-counterpart fund.
Fall said that the project was hinged on sectorial integration that includes health, water and Sanitation/Hygiene, Nutrition, HIV/AIDs, Child Protection, Community Development and social protection in the three target states.
“In Bauchi State, 1.5 million Children under the age of 5 and 38,000 pregnant women will be reached annually with health services out of the 2.6 million children under 5 years of age and 850,000 pregnant women targeted to be reached with health services annually in the three states,” Fall said.
