By Asma’u Ahmad
The Federation of Muslim Women of Nigeria (FOMWAN), has appealed to the Kaduna State Government to increase budgetary allocation to health sector, to improve healthcare delivery to children.
The Kaduna stated Amira (Head) of the group, Hajiya Badiyya Sa’id, made the appeal while speaking with the newsmen in Zaria Local Government Area.
She said the call became imperative in view of the importance of health, especially children’s health to human existence.
Hajiya Badiyya observed that children between the ages of zero to five years have been suffering from different diseases.
“Records have shown that Kaduna is lagging behind in the maintenance of children health. That is what prompted a request to the Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris, to talk to the policy makers to rescue the situation.
“Routine immunisation and acute malnutrition in children had remained major constraints in the state, hence the need for additional budgetary allocation. We want a situation where our children in Kaduna State will grow healthy devoid of malnutrition,” the Amira said.
She, however, noted the increase in health budgetary allocation this year from 7.5 to 13 per cent over that of 2016.
While appreciating the budgetary increase, the Amira appealed for more to put the sector on a normal sound footing.
She said the increased budgetary allocation was one thing, while religious implementation of the budget was another.
“An increase of 5.5 per cent over the last year’s allocation is a welcome development but we want it implemented to the fullest. Apart from that, government should endeavour to increase it to certain level to adequately take care of health needs of children in the state,” she urged.
