By Segun Awofadeji
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bauchi Field office, has said it has handed over 104 renovated Primary Health Centres (PHCs) it renovated to the state government to enhance health care delivery in the state.
Handing over the Yalwan Duguri Primary Health Care Centre in Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state yesterday, UNICEF Chief, Bauchi Field Office, Mr. Bahnu Pathak, said UNICEF has also supplied basic medical equipment to all the 323 PHCs across the state.
He said UNICEF was working closely with the Ministry of Health and the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency to provide quality health services to the citizens of the state, adding that the Yalwan Duguri PHC is one of the centres of excellence where it has also provided supplies and supported the renovation work.
According to him, “We have done our part; so now, I will like to request from the local authorities in charge of this facility and members of staff working here with support and guidance from our chairperson in this local government, to maintain operations services of this facility.
“It is not enough to build a house, it has to be maintained. This is the responsibility of the local authorities here. UNICEF will always be there to support all the necessary supplies, capacity building, and we will work with the team, but the main responsibility of operations and maintenance is your duty.”
Pathak said UNICEF was working with different partners such as Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Dangote Foundation to support the state government in fulfilling its promises of providing quality health care services to the people, adding that during the flag-off of the maternal Newborn Child Health week, it supported the state with N2 billion.
Receiving the renovated health facility, the Chairman of Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Rilwanu Mohammed, stated that over the years, health care centres have been in a dilapidated state, particularly infrastructural decay, that was begging for prompt intervention, adding that the present administration has changed the narratives through pragmatic approach in its quest to actualise democratic dividends to the people, which include the provision of quality and effective health system.
Represented by a Director in the agency, Alhaji Bello Mustapha, the chairman said the handing over of the Yalwan Duguri health facility has proven the determination of the state government to address the infrastructural decay in the state, pointing out that the health facility is now 104 in the state, which will to be completed and handed over to the state health out of the 107 agreed by the EU-UNICEF.
