Leadership, community engagement key to overcoming public health challenges — UNICEF
From Bashir Rabe Mani in Sokoto
The United Nations Children Fund UNICEF says the polio virus free certification of Nigeria in 2020 demonstrates how leadership, community engagement, and partnership could overcome even the most difficult public health challenges.
The UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, said this on Friday in Sokoto when she paid a courtesy call on the state Deputy Governor, Engr. Idris Muhammad Gobir, who stood in for
Governor Ahmed Aliyu.
Russel said it was important to maximise the gains of the certification by remaining committed to routine immunization and surveillance.
“Today, our task is to protect these gains by ensuring that every child receives routine immunization, every missed child is reached, and surveillance remains strong,” Russell said.
The UNICEF Executive Director said Sokoto State has one of the country’s youngest populations and has a critical role in Nigeria’s human capital transformation.
“I very much appreciate our longstanding partnership and our commitment to you in delivering results.
“What I saw today was the digital village, where I saw literacy, vocational training, life skills, and I also saw the primary health care center, where they were doing routine immunization and nutrition screening.
“It was really both fantastic projects, and I’m very grateful that UNICEF is able to work with the government to support them.”
According to her, UNICEF believes Sokoto has the potential to become a national example of how political leadership could translate into measurable improvements for children.
Russell said UNICEF welcomes the opportunity to work with the state government to document, showcase, and elevate Sokoto’s successes nationally and internationally, enabling other states to learn from the state’s experience.
“Together, we believe that Sokoto can eliminate the remaining immunization gaps and become one of Nigeria’s strongest examples of political commitment to child survival.
“I also saw in action your government’s clear vision on health, education, and skills for children.
“Every investment that helps a child learn, builds human capital,.and in long-term economic growth.
“I welcome the state’s investments in these critical areas. UNICEF stands ready to continue supporting the government to strengthen systems, improve service delivery, generate evidence that guides smarter investments.
“Rather than focusing on individual programs, we look forward to deepening a strategic partnership that helps accelerate measurable improvements across all child outcomes.
“Your administration has already put important policy reforms in place. UNICEF remains your trusted partner to translate this vision into results.
“Together, we can build on this momentum and position Sokoto as an example of how political leadership can contribute to Nigeria’s future prosperity.”
Responding, the deputy governor commended Russell for the visit and expressed profound gratitude to UNICEF for various interventions provided in the state aimed at improving the health conditions of children.
He said the administration has paid greater attention to improving the health condition
of pregnant mothers and children through free medical care, renovation of all the health facilities across the state, and the provision of a conducive teaching and learning environment in our schools.
“Similarly, we have also recruited over 1,500 nurses and midwives who have since been posted to our rural facilities.
“Equally we have recruited 2,440 community health extension workers to be deployed to our primary health centers, all in our attempt to provide healthcare services to those staff of our rural populace,” he said.
The deputy governor also said the government has provided potable drinking water to rural and urban communities, and is working with development partners to improve health outcomes.
He also mentioned the efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school, and the establishment of skills acquisition centres, where 2,720 children have been trained.
The deputy governor, however, said security challenges is affecting schools and health care facilities, with some destroyed or set ablaze.
He said “this troubling situation” is severely undermining government commitment to ensuring that every child and mother has access to a natural environment, and requested for support to provide
additional health and educational infrastructure.
