By Tayo Joseph Lagos, Nigeria
The European Union (EU) in partnership with United Nations Children’s
Fund (UNICEF) has budgeted €54 million (N2.97 billion) for “maternal,
newly born, child healthcare and nutrition outcome” projects in three
North-East states of Bauchi, Adamawa, Yobe; and Kebbi in North-West
sub-regions of the country.
The Country Representative of UNICEF, Mohammed Malick Fall, disclosed
this at the weekend in Bauchi, while officially handing over health
equipment and medicine to the Bauchi state government.
He said that out of the €54 million (N2.97 billion), the EU has
released €50 million through a grant; UNICEF contributed €1 million
(N560 million), while the three benefiting states are to provide €1
million as government counterpart funding.
He said the health project was hinged on “sectoral integration” that
comprise health, water and sanitation/hygiene, nutrition, HIV/AIDS,
child protection, community development and social protection to
improve living conditions of people in targeted states of Bauchi,
Adamawa and Kebbi.
His words: “In Bauchi State, over 1.5 million children under the age
of five and 38,000 pregnant women will be accessed to annually with
health services out of the 2.6 million children under five years of
age and 850,000 pregnant women targeted to be reached with health
services annually in the three states of the Northeast.
“This project will also support the implementation of one Primary
Health Care (PHC) per ward in the 323 wards of the 20 councils in
Bauchi state through capacity building of health workers, community
engagement. It will ensure community resilience, minor renovation of
some primary health care centres, supply of equipment and medicines
for maternal, newborn and child healthcare delivery services.”
