By Asma’u Ahmad
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Monday presented medical equipment worth about N30 million for 60 health facilities in Kogi state.
State Team Leader for Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP), Dr Alobo Gabriel, disclosed this while handing over the equipment to the State Ministry of Health.
Dr Gabriel said that the equipment would be distributed to 45 primary healthcare centres, five training health institutions, and 10 hospitals across the state.
“We all know that Kogi being in the northern part of Nigeria has a very high rate of maternal, parental and child mortality and morbidity, and we are the vanguard for preventing these health challenges.
“We have achieved many laudable projects in Kogi and we plan to support all pre-services institutions with training materials and equipment to help train nurses, doctors, midwives, community health officers and extension workers.
“We appreciate Kogi Government for doing so well in supplying equipment, renovating hospitals and employing new health workers, which I believe would help tremendously to reduce maternal and child mortality in Kogi.
“It is our hope that the medicals will be well utilised to ensure reduction of maternal, parental and child mortality rate in the state,” Gabriel said. Receiving the equipment on behalf of the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Celestine Ejeh, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, thanked USAID and Federal Government for the gesture, saying it is a
good step in the right direction.
He noted that the partnership has helped to reduce maternal, parental and child mortality and morbidity rate in the state which has led to improving quality of life and wellbeing of the citizenry.
“Today, we are also privileged to receive again the basic tools and equipment that will further improve the healthcare delivery across the state. We will ensure that they are used properly,” Ejeh said.
Some of the equipment are seven (Paediatric stethoscope, Suction machines, Phototherapy, Percutaneous Bilirubinomer), 125 Weighing scale, 65 Thermometers, 37 infusion pumps, 210 Urinary Catheters, 10 Placenta Forceps, 900 Digital Respiratory Timers and 105 Absorbable Non-Reactive Sutures.
Others are training materials such as 40 pieces of delivery kits, pregnancy wheels, Suctions for newborn, Preemile and Mama Natalie, 20 pieces of Episiotomy kits, Neo Natalie, Hand held IUD, Implant training arm and 7,600 HRBs.
Newsmen report that the Maternal and Child Survival Programme (MCSP) is a multi-partner, flagship programme in support of USAID’s priority goal of ending preventable child and maternal deaths in a generation.
