From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Borno State has received medical suppliers including medicine and healthcare equipment worth over $300, 000 (over N400 million) from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
UNICEF Chief of Field Office Maiduguri, Phuong Nguyen while handing over the suppliers to the state government on Thursday in Maiduguri said they were meant to support vulnerable children and women.
“UNICEF is handing over essential medical suppliers and equipment worth over $313,143 to the Borno State government to improve the quality of care available in health facilities across the state,” she announced.
She said many health facilities in the state were affected by the decade-long violence. She said the fund discovered that many of the facilities were in dare need of medicine and other medical suppliers.
She recalled that over 170 children were lost daily in 2020 caused by the protracted violence in the state.
“So we want to upgrade the capacity of the ministry of health to equip these facilities in the communities so that vulnerable women and children don’t have to travel long distance to assess these facilities,” Nguyen explained.
The present intervention was a layer of another support by UNICEF coming almost two years after the donation of $250,00 medical supplies to the state.
Commissioner for Health Prof Baba Malum Gana commended UNICEF and other patient agencies for their support to the state.
He said Borno is committed to quality healthcare especially for children and women. He appealed for more supports and interventions.
Medical suppliers which include drugs, surgical and clinical materials, trolling, examination tables, prenatal and antenatal equipment and materials, stretchers among others, were estimated at $313,143.11 (over N400 million).