The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Thursday donated Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) and assorted dignity kits worth over N25 million to Kano State to contain COVID-19 pandemic.
The UNFPA Team Lead, Dr Hamza Shuaibu, stated this while presenting the items to the state government at the Muhammad Abdullahi Wase General Hospital, Kano.
Hamza said the UNFPA had selected 10 states to participate in the UN Basket Fund intervention designed to augment federal government’s to stem spread of the pandemic.
He said that Kano state was selected to participate in the programme in view of the successes recorded in the fight against the pandemic.
The UNFPA official said the intervention was designed to contain spread of the pandemic, enhance access to quality reproductive healthcare services as well as mitigate the effects of the pandemic on businesses.
“Many women have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is increase in Gender Base Violence (GVB) in many homes in the country.
“There is also distruption in the social and economic growth of the general populace.
“The UNFPA is supporting the Kano state with PPEs, reproductive health and dignity kits to 50 facilities in Nassarawa and Tarauni Local Government Areas.
“This is not the first time we are donating these kind of equipment, other items would soon arrive in the state.
“We are also implementing the civil society engagement project in addition to the risk communication and community engagement project,” he said.
Shuaibu added UNFPA was implementing the intervention through the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN), particularly in the areas of improving reproductive healthcare and prevention of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the country.
In a remark, Dr Aminu Tsanyawa, the state Commissioner for Health, lauded the gesture, noting that it will enhance healthcare service delivery in the state.
“I am optimistic that the support you are according to Kano State is making a lot of impact, especially in reducing the index of maternal mortality and GBV,” he said.
While reiterating state government commitment to partner with development organisations towards enhancing quality healthcare delivery, Tsanyawa assured that the state would ensure effective utilisation of the items.
(NAN)
