The European Union (EU) has reiterated commitment to expand its support for reproductive and adolescent health services in Kwara under the EU Strengthening Access to Reproductive and Adolescent Health (EU-SARAH) programme.
The Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Massimo De Luca, stated in Ilorin during an assessment visit to health facilities and communities benefiting from the programme in Kwara.
The EU-SARAH programme is funded by the EU and implemented by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Kwara, Sokoto and Adamawa.
De Luca said the programme was designed to support government efforts rather than take over its responsibilities.
“We are here to support the government. We are not replacing government. If government is not moving, we cannot move,” he said.
De Luca said the success of the programme depended largely on government commitment and leadership.
According to him, needs and circumstances differ across the three states.
He noted that Kwara is in a privileged position because of the access the programme has at the grassroots, including engagement with volunteers, civil society organisations and communities.
De Luca commended the state government for prioritising health, particularly issues affecting mothers and children, saying the commitment had created strong synergy between government and development partners.
He also commended UNICEF, UNFPA and other implementing partners for reaching adolescents with services covering prenatal and postnatal care, family planning and other reproductive health needs.
“The programme is important because health challenges among adolescents could affect their education and future if not properly addressed,” De Luca said.
He explained that some adolescents facing health challenges could drop out of school, become vulnerable or lose their lives.
De Luca urged communities to pay attention to how adolescents were catered for at Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), including access to assistance and commodities.
He highlighted the flexibility of the programme in responding to emergencies, adding that adolescents affected by attacks in some communities in February received support through the intervention.
De Luca said the EU delegation was looking at expanding support for the programme in Kwara, Sokoto and Adamawa, in collaboration with the Federal Government.
Speaking earlier, the Kwara Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, described EU-SARAH as a major partnership for the state.
El-Imam said the programme had improved capacity of health workers, increased demand for family planning services and strengthened awareness on reproductive and sexual health.
She said visits to facilities and communities showed that the intervention was changing the way residents accessed healthcare.
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