UNICEF provides N8bn support to Adamawa

THE United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has provided cash support worth N8 billion to Adamawa through Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) from 2014 to date.

The Chief of UNICEF, Bauchi Field Office, Mr Bhanu Pathak, made this known on Thursday in Yola, in a meeting with Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa.

Pathak said that UNICEF also provided support in supplies in areas of health, nutrition, water, sanitation, education, hygiene and sanitation, child protection as well as emergencies worth eleven million dollars to the state within the period.

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He said, with funding support provided by the European Union, UNICEF had supported 226 Primary Healthcare facilities in Adamawa with equipment, drugs and capacity building for personnel, which enabled the facilities to operate 24 hours.

While reiterating the commitment of UNICEF to sustain support to Adamawa, Pathak said the fund would soon commence the implementation of the pilot Child-Friendly Communities Initiative project in Fufore and Guyuk LGAs of the state.

The chief lauded Gov. Fintiri for his commitment to health care and urged him to take action in ensuring that the 13,000 under-5 years yet to be immunised in the state were immunised.

He also urged the governor to take quick action to save the lives of the 8,000 severely malnourished children in the state.

In his remarks, Fintiri lauded UNICEF for its interventions and promised to provide all outstanding counterpart funding contributions in all sectors of UNICEF support in the state.

“We appreciate that you have come to help us and we must do our part. I assure you that you will not experience the disappointment of the past.”

The governor said that his administration was committed to renovating all primary and secondary schools and was currently working to send 38,000 street children back to school.

NAN