Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has commended the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for establishing an oxygen plan and a Baby Care Unit in General Hospital, Azare, Katagum local government area of the State.
Mohammed made the commendation during the Award and Recognition ceremony for the Fathers for Good Health Groups in the State, held on Tuesday at the Banquet Hall, Government House.
“I wish to also extend my special appreciation to UNICEF for the establishment of an Oxygen Plan and Baby Care Unit at Azare.
“The State Government is eagerly waiting for the handing over and commissioning of the two facilities.
“I would like to congratulate today’s recipients of the awards and to re-emphasize that the reward for hard work is more work.”
Mohammed described the introduction of FGH initiative into the health sector particularly the primary healthcare system as the best thing to have happened to effective and efficient healthcare service delivery in the state.
He expressed satisfaction with the performance of the volunteers who are moving from community to community to sensitise people on the need to embrace good health for women and children.
“It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this very important occasion of the Award for “Fathers of Good Health,” he stated.
“As the name suggests the occasion is specially organised to honour, men who have made significant contributions to the improvement of Child Health in the State by mobilizing their communities to ensure that no child is left unimmunized.
“It would be recalled that “Fathers of Good Health” Support initiative began as a pilot project in Misau and Ningi Local Government Areas with 340 volunteers in all the wards.
“The initiative has now been expanded to four Local Government Areas, with a plan to further expand it to all Local Governments of the State.
“It is our belief that this intervention will go a long way in improving vaccine acceptance and encourage household decision-makers to actively engage in mobilizing other men in their communities to ensure that all children receive vaccinations in our communities.
“Bauchi State Government is ever ready to support any intervention aimed at strengthening our health system, especially for the improvement of the lives and well-being of women and children.
“Indeed, our administration has placed high premium on the health sector by investing in infrastructure and equipment, apart from being committed to meeting the obligations of MoU arrangements with development and donor partners, in spite of the dwindling resource and multi-sectoral demands in governance.
“To demonstrate its unwavering commitment to effective and efficient health care delivery, the State Government has continued to sustain a 15 percent allocation to the health sector.
“In order to provide maximum health services and ensure effective productive system in our health facilities, the Bauchi State Government has recently introduced the State Emergency Transport System and Ambulance services to facilitate easy transportation of patients in both urban and hard to reach communities in the State.
“In its effort to provide adequate quality personnel in the health sector, the State Government has reintroduced pre-service scheme and recruited healthcare workers across all levels of health care services.
“The Government through the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Board has instituted an annual recognition award for best performing health care workers, health facilities, Local Government Areas and traditional institutions as part of its motivation strategies towards improving health care services in the State.
“The awards are meant to motivate the good performing “Fathers of Good Health” and other Stakeholders, and to encourage others to follow suit.
“The State Government is profoundly grateful to these volunteer fathers for their commitment to supporting our healthcare system and enhancing health outcomes.”
In her remarks, the Chief of Field Office (CFO), UNICEF Bauchi Field Office (BFO), Dr Nuzhat Rafique stated that through the laudable initiative of Fathers for Good Health Groups, no fewer than 3,000 children were immunized who never received immunization who could have probably died from preventable diseases.
She disclosed that the initiative was carried out in two LGAs of the state and urged the stakeholders in the state, particularly the health sector, to scale up the initiative to the remaining local government areas of the state in order to save many more children that have never been reached with immunization.
“Whatever this initiative has achieved today is because of the leaders in the communities who have a commitment to the children of this country and to Allah, i really appreciate and salute that commitment,” she said.
“Many mothers who when they are pregnant, have the fear of dying during delivery, this should not be a fearful process.
“Every mother should reach a facility to give birth.
“In Bauchi State, half of the newborns just die because they don’t have access to skilled birth attendants, so we have to concentrate on other aspects such as the Fathers for Good Health and mother to mother groups and all the other sectors of health, education, birth registration, social policy amongst others.
“We have to work together because that one child that is who is in a village, in a poor family, he has the right to health, nutrition, proper feeding practices, to go school and right to excellent hygiene environment which is provision of safe water so that there is no open defecation in the state.
“We need to reach every child with these services, that is responsibility and accountability which is given to us by God.”
In a welcome address, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr Mohammed Sani Dambam said that the ceremony was a testimony of the commitment of the administration towards motivating good performing Fathers for Good Health and other Stakeholders in the provision of affordable and qualitative health care delivery services.
Dambam also expressed sincere appreciation to the Governor for prioritizing healthcare in all government policies and programs.
“This is an attestation of commitment in achieving the Abuja declaration of allocating at least 15 percent of Annual State budget to health sector,” he said.
“This recognition is based on the commitment of Fathers whom have demonstrated high levels of sacrifices for improving good health outcomes in their communities and other stakeholders from the selected Local Government Areas of Ningi and Misau.
“Their effort that has shown utmost sacrifices in eliminating zero-dose and improving routine immunization and general wellbeing of women and children.
“In Bauchi state, we have made significant strides in promoting maternal and child health services, and the contributions of fathers have been instrumental in these efforts.”
