The Zamfara-based Commonwealth health project, ”Lafiya Programme” has donated 119 infrared thermometers, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and medical consumables to Zamfara State to support its COVID-19 response.
The programme Coordinator in the state, Dr Mannir Bature, disclosed this in Gusau, on Wednesday, at the closeout meeting of the programme in the state, funded by the Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).
“In order to ensure effective COVID-19 response in the state, as well as continuation of essential healthcare services to the people of Zamfara state, the UK Government, through the Lafiya programme has donated COVID-19 response equipment to the state.
“The items are for distribution to primary health care centers, as part of its core objectives of protecting the health workers and ensuring continuation of essential maternal, newborn and child health services in the state” Bature said.
According to him, the donated items comprised 1,553 pieces of face shield, 9,317 examination gloves, 240 pieces of Waste Bins, Colour coded with cover, Chlorine 1,242 containers and 52 pieces of buckets with tap.
Other items donated included 480 pieces of mopping bucket with sticks, 40 backpack sprayers,12,063 medical masks, 62,112 surgical gloves, 54 sharp containers and 256 sharp container boxes.
In addition, there were also 622 biohazard bags, 18,634 hand sanitizer gel, 3,106 units of sodium hypochlorite, 7,192 pieces of liquid soap and 1,553 detergents, Bature added.
Bature disclosed that the ”Lafiya Programme” was a FCDO funded project, sited in Zamfara State to support its COVID-19 response, since May 2020.
He said the programme had carried out many activities since inception, ranging from capacity building of health workers to supporting community engagement and conduct of COVID-19 testing.
The programme coordinator commended the support and cooperation to the programme by the state government, the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders.
In his remark, the Zamfara State Commissioner of Health, Alhaji Yahaya Kanoma, commended the FCDO for its kind support to the state’s healthcare sector, through the ”Lafiya programme”.
Kanoma noted that the programme had contributed immensely to the state, especially its COVID-19 response activities, while appealing to the FCDO to extend the programme in the state, considering its impact on health care delivery to the state’s citizens.
“We are going to follow up on our request to the FCDO Zonal office Kano, in both verbal and written form, for an extension of the programme in Zamfara State”, the Commissioner said.
He also commended other partners who had been supporting the state in promoting health care delivery.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by representatives of UNICEF, National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the Media. (NAN)
