UNICEF donates drugs, hospital equipment to Zamfara

THE United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has donated drugs, hospital equipment and other consumables worth millions of naira to 16 primary healthcare facilities in Zamfara.

Presenting the items to the State Government in Gusau, Mr Ifeanyi Ojei, the UNICEF Coordinator of Hard to Reach and Underserved Areas in the state, said the items consisted of 136 Nigerian Health Kits.

Ojei said other materials donated were medicines, stethoscopes, thermometers and bedding to meet the health care needs of women and children in 250 hard-to-reach communities.

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He explained that UNICEF and the Canadian Government had supported 16 primary healthcare facilities in the 250 rural communities of the state with drugs and other consumables.

He said the facilities were located in the eight local government areas of Gusau, Tsafe, Kaura-Namoda, Shinkafi, Bungudu, Maradun, Talata-Mafara and Bakura.

Receiving the items on behalf of the state government, the Executive Secretary of the state’s Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Alhaji Yusuf Mafara, thanked UNICEF for the gesture.

He said in furtherance of the state government’s determination to provide good healthcare services to all communities, his office would ensure that the donation reached all health facilities.

“We will not limit ourselves to the selected communities but we will see to it that other communities benefit from this.

“Although we have a serious deficiency in our manpower, with the recent training of 100 Chief Health Extension Workers, this support will go a long way in addressing antenatal care and nutrition needs in the state,” he noted.