The Bauchi state government has commenced the distribution of over one million antimalarial drugs and other medical consumables to healthcare centres across the state.According to him, 1,077,810 doses of Artemisinin-based Combination Theraphy (ACT), 136,350 doses of Suphodoxine Pyrimethamine (SP) and 285,775 Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Kits (RDT) will be distributed and given free to patients at 210 Primary and Secondary health centres across the state.
“The Bauchi State government through BACATMA with support from US President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) will distribute the Antimalarial drugs and Malaria testing kits to 210 Primary and Secondary Health facilities across the 20 local government areas of the State for Quarter one (January to March)”.
He said the drugs would be distributed through a third party Vendor from the State store directly to the health facilities with notification and involvement of the LGA PHC department and the community leaders to ensure judicious utilisation by the targeted communities.
“This is part of the routine distribution to ensure availability of Malaria drugs and commodities in our health facilities. This is helping Bauchi State in reducing the burden of Malaria as well as reducing morbidity and mortality from Malaria,” he added.
Meanwhile, in its efforts to reduce mortality and morbidity in Bauchi, the state government has approved the sum of N27 million for the procurement of ready to eat therapeutic food for the treatment of children with severe malnutrition.
This was made known by the wife of the state governor, Hadiza Mohammed Abubakar who also revealed approval of N180 million for the expansion of nutritious services in six additional Local Government Areas of the state.
Hajiya Abubakar, at the recent flag-off ceremony of Bauchi state World breast-feeding Week at Miri village, expressed delight that Bauchi is the first state to expand community nutrition services to the Local Government Areas.
She expressed the appreciation of the state government to its development partners and donors for the resources they have continued to deploy to support the government in improving maternal child health and other social services in the state.
Abubakar also assured the development partners that within the ambit of available resources, the government will continue to meet its obligations to ensure that the partnership collaboration continue to benefit the people of the state.
The Governor’s wife noted that Bauchi has the lowest exclusive breastfeeding with 17 per cent of children less than six months exclusively breast-fed, indicating that more than half of children in the state are stunted.
Also speaking, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Nigeria, Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Abdulai Kai Kai said breastfeeding is one of the most effective and cost effective ways to save and improve the lives of children everywhere, yielding lifelong health benefits for infants and their mothers.
Kai Kai, represented by the Office Education Specialist, Mairama Bukar Dikwa, further explained that breastfeeding is also one of the keys to reducing under-five mortality, improves long-term health, decrease risk of non-communicable diseases including childhood asthma and obesity.
The Chairman of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), Adamu Ibrahim Gamawa had earlier in a welcome address said good nutrition is a pre-requisite for national development of countries and for the well-being of individuals.
Source:MWN