By Asma’u Ahmad
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has acknowledged receipt of 50 million Euros (about N18.2 billion) grant from the European Union (EU) for the implementation of health related projects in three states in Nigeria.
The UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Mr Mohammed Fall, announced receipt of the amount at the official handover of some health equipment and drugs to Bauchi state government in Bauchi. Mr Fall listed the three benefiting states as Bauchi, Adamawa and Kebbi.
Mr Mohammed Fall
He however explained that the total sum to be expended on the project was 54 million Euros (about N19.8 billion), as UNICEF and the three benefitting states would contribute one million Euros each (about N366 million)
He said that the grant was for the implementation of the project tagged “Support to strengthening Primary Health Care and Community Resilience for improved maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition.”
The Country Representative stated that the goal of the project was to significantly reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality and morbidity in the three states. According to him, it is also aimed at improving the health and nutrition status of women and children through a sustainable primary health care delivery system.
The Country Representative disclosed that no fewer than 2.7 million children under age five and 850,000 pregnant women were targeted to benefit from health services annually from the three states.
In his remarks while receiving the equipment, Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar thanked UNICEF for its intervention and pledged the state government’s cooperation with all the donor agencies working in the state.
