The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has handed over 47,000 personal protection equipment (PPE) life-saving materials to Borno. The life-saving materials are being distributed to 32 healthcare facilities in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), Jere and Konduga councils. While handing over the PPE materials Wednesday in Maiduguri, UNFPA’s State Programme Manager, Midala Balami disclosed: “The Planned Parent Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) is to implement the PPE project in the state.” According to him, the PPE materials include 15,000 each of face masks and surgical long gloves, 13,000 of surgical short gloves, hand sanitizers, disinfectants and liquid hand wash. Other materials distributed comprise 650 each of blankets, slippers, mats and wrappers; and 2,000 sanitary pads. “The PPE materials will increase capacity building of health workers to ensure that services are delivered to affected populations,” he said, noting that the project could increase access to sexual reproductive health services. He said that the life-saving materials are for the strategic support of UNFPA to 32 health facilities in three councils. On zero maternal deaths, he said: “We ensure that there are zero maternal deaths and gender-based violence (GBV) in the state,” adding that family planning is also achieved by 2030. According to him, this project ensures that prevention, mitigation and response to GBV are sustained. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had posed a lot of challenges, including the lockdown and other barriers. He lamented that the three council areas are facing the burdens in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in camps. While receiving the material, Hajiya Fati Ali, the Deputy Director, Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHDA), who represented the Executive Director thanked Balami for the materials. She assured the UNFPA that the life-saving materials are to be distributed equitably to the health centres in three council areas.
