The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says it has renovated 34 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in Bauchi State to ensure child survival and improve the healthcare infrastructure.
Bahnu Pathak, the Chief, Bauchi Field Office, UNICEF, disclosed this on Thursday in Disina, Shira Local Government Area(LGA) of the state, during official handing-over of the Disina PHC to the state government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UNICEF also handed over another PHC in Ari in Ningi LGA of the state.
“In fulfilling the mandate of ensuring child survival, development and protection of the rights of children, UNICEF is happy to collaborate with Bauchi State Government and other agencies to improve the lives of children and women.
“To this end, 34 PHCs out of 108 earmarked for renovation have been completed to improve infrastructure in the health sector.
“Thirty-two PHCs have previously been handed over and two more are being handed over to government today.
“As UNICEF hands over the 33rd Disina PHC in Shira LGA and 34th Ari PHC in Ningi LGA, we call on the benefiting communities and the state government to ensure that these facilities are not only protected but are utilised by the communities to make a difference in the health outcomes of children and women,’’ he said.
Pathak, represented by Dr Jackson Martins, Nutrition Officer, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, further disclosed that standard equipment had been supplied in all 323 main PHCs in the state with 24 PHCs approved as functional 24 hours, 7 days a week.
He said that the UNICEF’s collaboration with the EU on Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) had led to the screening, admission and successful treatment of 91. 4 per cent of over 24,000 severely malnourished children.
