China supports Gombe Pry Health Care with $1m as UNICEF advocates sustainable system

Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has said that all is now set for its team to kick-start the implementation of one  million dollars Chinese government donations to support Gombe State Primary Health Care.

This was disclosed by the UNICEF’s Chief of Bauchi field office, Mr. Bhanu Pathak, who yesterday led the UNICEF delegation on a courtesy  visit to the state governor,  Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya. He said the grant titled “support to Primary Health Care (PHC)” was for the revitalization and to  improve Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) in the state.

According t o the chief field officer, the support had specific focus area which is in Kwami Local Government Area (LGA). He said half of the money will be used for improved outcomes in Kwami LGA, while others will be used in the ten other LGAs of the state.

However, he urged the state government to look in the area of sustainability of all health care supported projects in the state. He added that the National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS)  2018 shows that in Gombe State: “Out of every 1000 children born, 189 die before the age of 5 years, far higher than average death in the north-east region of Nigeria. Uptake of MNCH services is still below optimal, with 19 percent births delivered by skilled birth attendant and only 46.4 percent pregnant women received ANC from skilled providers”.

While tasking the state government on issue of infrastructure as well as manpower  for its primary health care, he said: “76 out of 114 wards do not have functional PHC centre opened 24/7.

‘‘Only 4 out of the 114 wards have at least two midwives. All PHC facilities in the state frequently experienced stock-out of essential commodities”, he lamented.