The Connected Development (CODE), an NGO has commended the Kaduna State Government for including women in the frontline of its COVID-19 response.
CODE’s Senior Programme Manager, Mrs Lucy Abagi gave the commendation when officials of the organisation visited the Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Baloni in her office in Kaduna on Monday.
Abagi pointed out that the Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, along with the six female commissioners and other women heading key parastatal agencies were part of the taskforce that were still responding to COVID-19 issues in the state.
“This is commendable, considering the high number of women involved in the decision-making process in the state, including decisions on COVID-19 response,” she said.
She said that the NGO had secured support from the UN Women under its Strengthening State Capacities and Women’s Participation in COVID-19 Response project.
Abagi said that through the project, CODE would analyse the plans, policies, budget, and actions taken by the state government in responding to COVID-19, particularly during lockdown.
She said that the analysis would enable CODE to document the roles played by women in the state’s response to COVID-19 and how the actions impact on women in communities.
According to her, the goal is to document lessons leant in the involvement of women in COVID-19 response and amplify them for other states to emulate and involve women in decision-making processes.
“Being a woman heading this strategic ministry, we are in your office to learn, document and amplify the roles you played in the state’s COVID-19 response.
“This will help us showcase to the world the platforms that the Kaduna state government is providing for women to participate in decision making and the wonderful job the women are doing.”
Responding, Baloni said that her ministry is providing all the needed technical support to the COVID-19 Task Force being headed by the deputy governor.
She said that managing a public health crisis such as COVID-19 requires effective collaboration and coordination among relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“My role as the commissioner for health was largely to ensure effective technical response required to contend the pandemic by strengthening the health system to create a resilient healthcare network.
“And women were the larger part of the population that benefited from the interventions being implemented to curb the spread of the virus, including awareness creation on preventive measures,” she said. (NAN)
