World Bank donates N1.7b to Jigawa as govt launches‎ 35 maternity units

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

The World Bank has donated the sum of $5.6 million equivalent to N1.7 billion to Jigawa state government for its higher performance in health sector.
This was announced by the Jigawa state governor Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Badaru, while launching Community Emergency Maternal Transport Scheme (CEMTS) yesterday at Kudai town area of Dutse local government of the state.
He explained that, the award was given to Jigawa for high performance on health sector from his assumption to office as governor to date.
According to him, Jigawa state emerged best in routine immunisation in 2019 with 92 percent coverage, ‎best in LMCU coordination, best in knowledge on ORS 99.16 percent, best in mosquito bed nets availability 98 percent, HIV prevalence (0.3 percent) second best in vitamin A suplementation and polio free state for the last eight years.
“Today we are launching 35 maternity wings across the state with vehicles to take care of pregnant women particularly those from the hard-to-reach ‎communities,” governor Badaru said.
He said, the effort is in line with President Muhammad Buhari’s directive to all state government on providing at least one maternal unit in each ward.
The governor maintained that, the launch of the scheme will increase access to quality maternal services particularly to less privilege people living in hard to reach areas.