TCI renovates, equips PHCs to promote family health in Bauchi

DETERMINED to scale up demand in family planning services as well as make clinic environment friendly and attractive to clients and other users, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded project, ‘The Challenge Initiative’ (TCI) in collaboration with Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA) has renovated and equipped five primary health care centers within Bauchi metropolis and environs.

The renovation of the facilities which was done under one of the components of TCI tagged ’72 Hours Makeover’, has been commissioned in an effort to make the clinics more inviting for clients to seek family planning services in the State.

While speaking at the commissioning on behalf of both the Gate and Melinda Foundation Portfolio Director in Nigeria, Dr Mrs Mojisola Odeku and Director, TCI Nigeria, Dr Victor Igharo, Bauchi State Program Coordinator of TCI, Mrs Rabi Ekele said the ongoing exercise of TCI has targeted 25 Family Planning Clinics for the Makeover in five local government areas of the State.

She said that: “The 72 hours Makeover is carried out in high volume facilities and it starts by close of work on Fridays with repairs, renovations and installations of equipment and by Monday morning the clinic reopens. The Makeover component is to make the clinic more attractive and client friendly for women to seek Family Planning services.”

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While commending Bauchi state government for allocating a budget line for Family planning, Rabi Ekele also appealed for the release of the counterpart funding by the State that is required to fast-track implementation of TCI programs stressing that, “We are confident that these resources, when release, will contribute significantly to the advancement of the health and wellbeing of the good people of Bauchi State.”

In her remarks during at the commissioning and handing over of the Clinics, Wife of Bauchi State Governor, Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar commended TCI and called on members of the community to patronize these clinics and improve on their health status.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Pharmacist Adamu Gamawa said TCI’s support to the agency is very commended and highly appreciated.

The TCI project is being implemented by the Johns Hopkins Centre for Communication Programs with funding from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with the goal of increasing the capability of state governments to provide life-saving reproductive health, childbirth spacing information and services to families and communities especially among the urban poor.

The Five clinics that were renovated and equip are Yelwa Domiciliary, Police Clinic, Town Maternity, Nassarawa Jahun and Wuntin Dada.