Abdulrahaman
abdulrazak
AbdulRazaq Approves N282m
Abdulrahaman
abdulrazak
AbdulRazaq Approves N282m for Nutrition, Primary Health
Care
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved
immediate payment of at least N282m in counterpart funding to
deepen access to primary healthcare, health insurance and nutrition
for under-three children in the state, according to a statement on
Tuesday.
AbdulRazaq’s Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaye said in the
statement that the N282m includes N100m counterpart funds for Basic
Healthcare Provision Funds (BHPV); N50m for Accelerating Nutrition
Results in Nigeria (ANRIN); and another N82m to access global
grants for malaria.
The statement said the release of the counterpart funds for BHPV
would grant Kwara access to the World Bank/Federal Government’s
grant to cater for health needs of pregnant and nursing women and
children.
“Access to such funds will help combat maternal mortality rate
and other basic health challenges related to women and children.
Apart from this, the funds will help to fix facilities for primary
health care and reduce the pressure on secondary and tertiary
health institutions,” according to the statement.
The statement said the counterpart funds for ANRIN will grant
Kwara access to donor funds to boost nutrition needs of children,
in what is a practical step to end the menace of stunting and
wasting among young children.
UNICEF has said stunted/wasted children –all of them victims of
malnutrition — are at risk of early death or becoming liabilities
to the society as they are unable to cope in school or contribute
to economic growth.
“Experts have decried malnutrition rate among children in the
North Central, where Kwara falls. Because these children are so key
to the bright future that this Governor envisions for Kwara, it is
important to urgently key into any initiative that would boost
their nutrition and give them a brighter chance at life,” according
to the statement.
“The N82m counterpart funding for malaria is to ensure that
Kwara also benefits from Global Funds set aside by donor agencies
to combat malaria.”
AbdulRazaq’s release of the counterpart funding for healthcare
late Monday came almost simultaneously with the payment of the
N450m Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) which the agency
insisted was diverted by the last administration. That diversion
had led to the blacklisting of the state from the funds meant to
boost access to primary health care, according to UBEC
officials.
Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
July 2nd, 2019.