UNICEF Donates Health Facility to Borno Govt for Management of Women and Children
UNICEF Chief of Field Office Phuong Nguyen presenting documents of the newly constructed Clinic to Secretary to Borno state government Dr. Bukar Tijani in Maiduguri.
By Dauda Iliya
The Borno state government has taken delivery of the newly constructed Primary Healthcare Clinic for the management of children and persons associated with armed conflict.
The Hajj Transit Camp is one of the holding facilities for repentant insurgents and their families which at some point, held over 22,000 individuals and had recorded outbreaks of measles and cholera with women and children being the most affected.
At a ceremony in Maiduguri, United Nations Children Education Fund UNICEF, Chief of Borno Field Office, Phuong Nguyen, said the newly constructed Clinic at the Transit camp will improve access to quality health care delivery for children and families affected by armed conflict.
The UNICEF Chief said the facility and essential medical supplies is worth over 179,000 US dollars was supported by the German Development Bank.
According to her, UNICEF is supplementing the efforts of the Borno State Government in the health sector towards addressing the gaps to ensure that the most disadvantaged children and women have a chance of survival, enjoy good health and a chance to reach their full potential.
“UNICEF is heartened that some of the most vulnerable groups in Borno State can now access quality and high-impact healthcare services at the transit camp. The facility will strengthen the capacity of health workers to respond to the health needs of women and children affected by conflict” Nguyen said.
Phoung Nguyen explained that in 2023, 131 safe deliveries were conducted, and an estimated 55,630 children were reached with integrated management of childhood illnesses such as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and 1,800 antenatal care services provided by skilled health workers in the camp
She assured to continue to work with Governments across the north-east to ensure the survival and wellbeing of women and children and support the government’s 25-year development plan to achieve a healthy citizenry.
Borno state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zuwaira Gambo thanked UNICEF for the support, noting that it will go a long way in improving healthcare delivery system in the state.
She acknowledged that the intervention of Fund and other development partners has fast track the recovery effort of the state government.
Highpoint of the event was the inspection of the facility by the Secretary to the State Government and other top government officials and handing over document of the Clinic to the SSG by the UNICEF Chief.
