The Nation Newspaper

Tag: UNICEF

  • Borno denies media report of outbreak of meningitis

    Borno denies media report of outbreak of meningitis

    Borno State Government have denied media report of any outbreak of cerebral Spinal Meningitis in the state or any other disease.

    The denial is coming on the hive of the ongoing wide outbreak of CSM across the country with Sokoto being the worse affected state.

    Borno State Commissioner of Heath, Dr. Haruna Mshelia, who addressed the media in Maiduguri, informed that the state has not witnessed any reported cases of an epidemic so far.

    According to him  measures are been taken by the state ministry of  health  including; mounting of surveillance checks  along the border towns and villages surrounding the state to cater for the IDPs moving in and out of the country among others.

    Dr. Mshelia further stated that various healthcare services and immunizations related technical formations have been reactivated to handle any outbreak, adding that relevant agencies and organizations have been identified to support surveillance with a view to pooling and harnessing their efforts towards ensuring the safety of the IDPs and their children.

    He explained that a Rapid Response Team in the state which comprised of the Federal and State Ministry of Health representatives and representatives of health partners like UNICEF and WHO are expected to meet every Tuesday to review the update of the CSM situation in the state.

    “On surveillance and investigation, the state ministry of health, with support from WHO, will ensure adequate surveillance of any reported case,” Dr. Haruna said.

    He also informed that “UNICEF has supplied the state with over 7000 doses of ceftriaxzone in addition to what we have in our stores and the ongoing response vaccination with Meningitis A vaccine in the newly liberated local government areas will continue until all the eligible children, including new arrivals in other local government areas will also immunised”.

    According to the commissioner, Borno is currently undergoing vaccination of children with MenAfricVac in newly accessible settlements in some LGAs such as Dikwa, Monguno, Ngala, Bama (in Banki), Mobbar and Gwoza.

    He further disclosed that the Nigerian Army and Air Force were looking forward to extending the vaccinations to places where coverage was low in the 2012 campaigns.

    Dr. Mshelia appealed to the media to be objective in reporting the issue, while refuting reports of any outbreak of CSM in any part of Borno State.

  • Expectations For The Week

    Expectations For The Week

    As we enter into another week, one wonders if the 2017 budget will be worked on by the Senate. Last week, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki said on the floor of the Senate that various committees are yet to submit their reports. With eight months left in the year, there is a high possibility that the budget will not be properly implemented – this is risky for the economic health of the country .

    The battle for supremacy between the Senate and the Presidency seems like a never-ending saga, however, a peace committee has been set up which is to be headed by Vice – President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. The committee which has current ministers who were ex-senators as members will seek to settle the sudden “supremacy battle” currently hindering the smooth running of governance between the executive and legislative arms of the country.

    Recently, the Senate decided not to screen the 27 nominees for Resident Electoral Commission (REC) sent by the President until their recommendation of replacing Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu is adhered to. Magu, was rejected by the Senate for the second time despite re-nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari. Will the President’s proposed closed-door meeting with Saraki end the macabre dance in the senate?

    Also, the current suspension of Senator Ali Ndume for six months by the senate is said to be generating heat as some “stakeholders” are trying to settle the current case between the Borno Senator and the “super powers” in the red chamber. Ndume was suspended  for bringing the name of the Senate into disrepute after calling for the investigation of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye. Melaye was investigated after a certain online publication said he didn’t graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, a claim the Vice Chancellor of the institution has refuted. Saraki’s issue had to do with the importation of an SUV without paying customs duties; however, the ex-Governor has said the Senate (and not himself) was responsible for the importation.

    The current health crisis ravaging the country in recent times needs to be STOPPED. Meningitis, which is an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord causes several neausating and incommodious effects on it victim – skin rashes, seizures, vomiting, fever, bodily temperature, increased sensitivity to light, confusion, tightness in the neck muscles etc. It has claimed over three hundred lives and there seems not to be a solution to it. The minister of health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has assured Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Health under his purview would nip the outbreak of meningitis ravaging some states in the bud. He said his ministry is “in constant discussion with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, E- health Africa and other international health agencies of supplies  of vaccines and injections”. With so many deaths already, the minister has to know that the time to act is NOW.

    As the Big Brother Naija enters into the final week, the excitement across the country from fans of the entertaining show is gradually getting to the peak. Just yesterday, Bally got evicted after getting nominated for eviction alongside Tboss, DebbieRise and Marvis. As it stands, Efe remains the only male standing in the house with four women (Tboss, DebbieRise, Bisola and Marvis) to contend with…A VERY LUCKY MAN! With over 11 million votes announced by show host Ebuka Uchendu for just yesterday’s eviction, the show organizers will be smiling to the bank after it ends at the weekend. After another week of performing various tasks, the housemate with the highest number of votes gotten by the viewers WINS in six days’ time.

    The excitement in the Nigerian Professional Football League has continued to draw more attention after the unpredictable nature of the league continued yesterday. Before round 18 games, MFM fc was sitting atop the log but after a 4-0 drubbing at Lafia and victories for both El-Knemi and Plateau United, the former climbs to second while the latter now lead the league and Mfm are presently third.  Without doubt, El-Kanemi’s next weekend encounter with Mfm fc at the Agege Stadium will be the match to watch; both teams have the same points (30 points) and are only separated by goal difference.

    Segun Odunayo tweets from @Segun_Odunayo

  • UNICEF votes N220m for water sanitation projects in Kebbi

    The United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF)   has donated N220m for water sanitation projects in Kebbi state.
    The donation was announced by UNICEF during the celebration of the 2017 World Water Day with  Kebbi State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development  in Birnin  Kebbi, the state capital.
    UNICEF supported by European Union according to a press statement by its Sokoto Zonal officer,  Mohammad Mohiuddin  will contribute N 220 million for a  two year water and sanitation project in kebbi state this year.
    The intervention is aimed at  addressing   the poor coverage of water and  sanitation in some of the primary Health centres by   ensuring that there is sustained access to water and sanitation facilities.
    The UNICEF officer said  the project will be done  through rehabilitation of defunct WASH facilities where they exist and construct new ones where there are no facilities.
    He added that investment in water and sanitation provision in health facilities will also be complemented with sensitization of health facility staff on the importance  of  promoting  hand washing at critical times so as so incorporate this in their routine heath talks.
    UNICEF however reaffirms its commitment to deliver the result for children and make sure children ‘s access to safe water for drinking is a priority above other needs.
    In  a press release,  he stated that  to be in line with Northern Nigerian context, the focus in Kebbi state is on ‘’Sustaining access to safe drinking water and Cultivating a Water Saving Culture’ ’ in  urban, peri-uban and Rural communities while working toward increasing access to safe drinking water for more communities ,schools, health institutions, markets and other public places.
    “It is important  that all water users and all water service providerS  in the state  should work towards ensuring that every drop of safe water is kept safe and never wasted,” Mohuddin stated.

  • Polio: 116m children to be vaccinated in Nigeria, 12 others

    The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organisation (WHO) said over 116 million children in 13 African countries would be vaccinated against polio next week.

    In a statement in Abuja on Friday, the UN bodies said 90,000 vaccinators had been mobilised to carry out the immunisation designed to tackle polio stronghold in the continent.

    They said the synchronised vaccination was one of the largest ever implemented in Africa.

    The statement signed by UNICEF Chief of Communication, Ms Doune Porter, quoted WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, as saying that the exercise was part of urgent measures to permanently stop polio in Africa.

    Moeti listed the benefiting countries as Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

    He said all children under five years would be immunized.

    Moeti said, “All children under five years of age in the 13 countries will be simultaneously immunized in a coordinated effort to raise childhood immunity to polio across the continent.

    “In August, 2016, four children were paralysed by the disease in security-compromised areas of Borno, North-East Nigeria, widely considered to be the only place on the continent where the virus maintains its grip.

    “20 years ago, Nelson Mandela launched the pan-African ‘Kick Polio out of Africa’ campaign.

    “At that time, every single country on the continent was endemic to polio, and every year, more than 75,000 children were paralysed for life by this terrible disease.

    “Thanks to the dedication of governments, communities, parents and health workers, this disease is now being beaten back to this final reservoir.”

    NAN

     

  • Plateau earmarks N1bn for water treatment chemicals

    The Plateau Government has awarded N1 billion contract for the purchase of water treatment chemicals to boost potable water consumption, Mr David Wuyep, the Commissioner for Water Resources and Energy, said.

    The commissioner told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Jos that the purchase of chemicals would sustain the state government’s drive to provide clean water to the public.

    Wuyep said the government would resuscitate the water treatment plants in Shendam, Pankshin and Bokkos local government areas to ensure that residents got clean water for their daily use.

    He noted that the provision of potable water would also guard against waterborne diseases.

    He added that rusty water pipes in Jos and Bukuru areas had been replaced, while asbestos water pipelines had been replaced.

    According to him, the ministry, in collaboration with the EU and UNICEF, drilled 340 hand pumps in Shendam and Riyom local government areas of the state.

    He said additional 250 drilled hand pumps would be inaugurated in other local government areas “to check cholera incidences and waterborne diseases.”

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  • 40% of drinking water in Bauchi is contaminated – Commissioner

    40% of drinking water in Bauchi is contaminated – Commissioner

    Bauchi State Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Ghali Abdulhamid, says over 40 per cent of drinking water in the state is contaminated.

    Abdulhamid made the assertion on Wednesday in Bauchi while delivering a speech at the 2017 World Water Day celebration Tagged “Water, Waste Water”.

    He said the situation was responsible for wide spread of water borne diseases such cholera, polio, diarrhea and other water related diseases.

    Abdulhamid observed that waste water from laundry activities and hand wash basins could be retreated and recycled for human use to avoid wastage.

    “Such water can be used in watering flower beds, gardens, washing bikes and cars as not to waste water within our environment.

    “The state government is carrying out major reform policies to reflect sanitation and sewage components to develop adequate and safe public water supply,” he said.

    The commissioner said that the state government in collaboration with UNICEF has drilled boreholes in various locations in the state to reduce shortage of the commodity being faced by the people.

    He called on communities where such projects were sited to be vigilant and ensure their maintenance.

    Hajiya Hawa Hassan, an Environmentalist in Bauchi UNICEF Field Office, isaid that UNICEF would soon launch a report on elemental nature of water.

    According to her, the report will come under a broad title of “Thirsting for a future, Water and children in a changing climate.”

    Hawa observed that by 2040, about 600 million children would live in areas of extremely high stressed, poorest and most disadvantaged, adding that the children would suffer most.

    She said that Bauchi State government had released N200 million as counterpart fund for the construction of 380 hand pump boreholes in 380 locations in five local government areas of the state.

    Hawa said the effort by the government had spurred the Department for International Development of the United Kingdom (DFID) to increase funding for the projects in two additional local government areas of the state.

  • Nigerian women, girls have paid heavy price for conflicts – Alhassan

    Nigerian women, girls have paid heavy price for conflicts – Alhassan

    Nigerian women and girls in recent times, have paid a heavy price for the myriad of conflicts that ravaged the country, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Sen. Aisha Alhassan has said.

    Alhassan made this known at a meeting with donors and partners on issues that bother on women and girls, at the sideline of the 61st Session of the Commission on Status of Women (CSW) at the Nigeria House in New York.

    “The emergence of extreme terrorism in Nigeria has introduced new dimensions to women and girls’ human rights violations.

    “The situation is further worsened by the humanitarian crisis generated as the internally displaced persons (IDPs) that resulted from the insurgency and the gendered nature of the problem is huge with over 60 per cent of the IDPs population being women and children.

    “Catering for the peculiar needs of this group remains a challenge in the post conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation process,” Alhassan said.

    She said the commitments of donors and partners groups have helped to advance the status of Nigerian women, children and the vulnerable groups.

    Alhassan said the gathering would help to explore how to make strong linkages and consolidate established relationships to help achieve the theme for the 61st CSW, which is to improve the productivity prospects of developing countries that are undergoing recession and decline in national income.

    “Reflections on the progress achieved since our last meeting should help in appraising the value added by the collaborative efforts channelled to different work areas.

    “It is important to examine the impact of investments and support provided since we last met in order to appreciate the transformation that is taking place in the lives of women and vulnerable groups in Nigeria on account of such partnerships.”

    She said the Nigerian women population held a strategic position in the socio-economic and political advancement of the country, regretting, however, that women were still confronted by negative socio-cultural beliefs and practices that shaped their choices and prevented them from contributing optimally to national development.

    The minister, however, said progress recorded through partnerships since the last donors meeting at 2016 CSW, had helped the implementation of strategic policy priorities in many key areas.

    “Working with UNFPA and UNICEF on the abandonment of female genital mutilation (FGM), 100 medical and health workers were trained and 75 ‘FGM Champions’ have also been equipped to conduct house-to-house visitation on the eradication of FGM.

    “Also with UNFPA support, relief materials were provided to the IDPs in the insurgency affected Northeastern States.

    “In collaboration with the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, rehabilitation and reintegration arrangement is in top gear for the repair and rehabilitation of VVF survivors in Kaduna, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom and Katsina states.”

    “In the area of promoting economic empowerment of women and girls, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, which is one of the Social Investment Programmes of the Federal Government aimed at providing micro-finance to rural communities nationwide is being implemented by my Ministry in collaboration with the Bank of Industry.”

    She said under the programme, soft loans were given to rural women entrepreneurs like market women, artisans, farmers and women engaged in other small businesses.

    To further expand women’s economic empowerment, Alhassan said initial approval had been granted for a 250 million dollars World Bank project – Strengthening Women Economic Empowerment Programme – to boost government’s financial inclusion programme for grassroot women.

    “The African Development Bank, on its part, is setting aside the sum of five million dollars out of the 13 million dollars economic growth stimulation project in Nigeria for women.

    “UN Women has also supported the Ministry with the training of 600 women, who suffered various forms of violence as result of the insurgency in the Northeast, on skills and techniques needed to access loans from the National Women Empowerment Fund.

    “In the area of women’s political participation, in collaboration with ECOWAS and INEC, the Ministry is working on strategies for increasing women’s participation in politics with a view to creating entry points into political party structures and systems.”

    She said in collaboration with UNFPA and UN Women, the Ministry had undertaken humanitarian interventions in the Northeast through the provision of relief materials to IDPs in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe and Bauchi States.

    “The holistic rehabilitation and reintegration programme of the 24 recently released Chibok girls from the captivity of Boko Haram is being carried out in collaboration and with the support of UN Women and UNFPA,” she said.

    Alhassan also said the country recently revised and validated Nigeria’s National Action Plan on UN Security Council’s resolution 1325, in order to provide a more robust and strategic framework for addressing women peace and security concerns.

    She commended the donors and partners for their collaboration and commitments towards advancing the mandate of the Ministry by ensuring better life for Nigerian women, children, the physically challenged and other vulnerable groups.

     

  • Akwa Ibom partners UNICEF to tackle malnutrition

    Akwa Ibom State government has expressed its readiness to partner the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to promote good nutritional regime for children.

    In line with this policy, N59million has been budgeted for micro-nutrient supplement under the Save One Million Lives (SOML) programme.

    The governor’s wife, Mrs. Martha Emmanuel, said she would soon launch a state-wide enlightenment and sensitisationprogrammein the 31 local governments, during which mothers would be educated and empowered to feed childrenproperly.

    She spoke in Uyo at the opening of a two-day advocacy meeting for women policy makers and wives of policy makers,organised by the government in partnership with UNICEF.

    Mrs. Emmanuel, who was inducted as the number one nutrition champion, said through her pet project, the Family Empowerment and Youths Re-orientation Programme (FEYREP), she would embark on mechanised farming for food sufficiency and affordability.

    She lamented that millions of children were prone to avoidable illnesses and deaths due to malnutrition and poor diet, and enjoined women to go into farming to increase food production.

    The governor’s wife said: “FEYREP is going into mechanised agriculture to enable mothers have enough food for children.”

    She said the government would ensure adequate budgetary provision and enforcement for the implementation of child feeding project.

    Health Commissioner Dr. Dominic Ukpong condemned low investment in nutrition.

    He stressed the need for an action plan to overcome malnutrition.

    His words: “Mobilisingthe resources needed to accelerate progress against malnutrition will require that countries, donors, businesses, innovative financing and even households must act in state’s solidarity to tackle the problem.”

    The UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Mr. WilbroadNgambi, underscored the importance of scaling up funding of nutrition programmes for the young ones, to meet UNICEF’s standard.

    He enjoined stakeholders to be in the vanguard of addressing the problem.

    Prof. Henrietta Ene-Obong of the University ofCalabar (UNICAL), Cross River State, lamented that 60 percent of the population lived below poverty line and advocated improved budget for agriculture and feeding programmes, to enhance good nutritional regime.

  • UNICEF to treat malnourished children in North-East

    The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund says it has so far provided treatment for 12, 000 of the 50,000 severely malnourished children in the North-East ravaged by insurgency.

    Mr. Omar Abdi, the UNICEF Executive Director, Programmes, made the disclosure while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri.

    Abdi, who led a team of officials on a visit, said that UNICEF was working toward reaching more children affected by the problem in the area.

    “We are seriously concerned about the situation of children as a result of conflict; nearly 50,000 children are severely malnourished as a result of food crisis in the North-East.

    “We have scaled up our programmes in working with the partners to support the government’s efforts toward responding to the crisis.

    “So far, we have scaled up our response at the malnourished community reaching 12,000 children that were severely malnourished,” he said.

    Abdi said that UNICEF still needs to do more, considering the gravity of the problem.

    “We need to double that number four times in order to reach those children that are affected.

    “Children that are severely malnourished, if not treated, can be at risk of dying, not of malnutrition alone, but of diseases like cholera and diarrhea,” he said.

    The UNICEF official said that the visit to Borno was aimed at getting first hand information on the humanitarian crisis in the state.

    “We are here to see the situation of children in this war-ravaged region and to talk to partners, government and non-governmental organisations on response to the emergency.

    “UNICEF has always been around working with the state governments,” he said.

    Abdi described Nigeria as one of the largest UNICEF programmes in the world.

    According to him, the agency is also concern about the protection of children, especially those affected by wars, and also their education

    “Nearly a quarter of kids in the area are still out of school.

    “Those in schools are studying in overcrowded classes, so they need more spacious classes,” he said.

     

  • Jigawa highest with cases of malnourished children – UNICEF

    Jigawa highest with cases of malnourished children – UNICEF

    The United Nation’s International Children’s Fund, UNICEF has rated Jigawa State first in malnourished children across the country with over 62.3 percent malnourished children.

    This was disclosed by the head of UNICEF Field Office, Bauchi, Dr Abdullai Kaikai, while speaking at the opening of a two-day stakeholders meeting on Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM). He said his organisation (UNICEF) is working with 12 local government areas where the situation is worse in the state.

    Mr Kaikai explained that the number of children with severe malnutrition registered in the treatment centers has increased to over 70 percent from 2014 till date. He said in 2016 alone, over 74,630 children were registered and treated at various CMAM centre in the state.

    He said the UNICEF has invested over N6 billion in purchasing the Ready to Use Throutiive Food (RUTF) and treated 280, 980 severely malnourished children in the state from 2009 to date.

    The field officer noted that since 2014, the 12 local government areas implementing the Community Base Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) have been remitting a monthly N24,000 for the procurement of routine drugs for the management of severe acute malnutrition. “However that was when the total number of children on admission was 47,107 and the exchange rate of Dollar to Naira was N160. Due to the current recession in the country, the prices of the drugs have tripled, which has resulted in the treatment of fewer children with infection of the CMAM program. Unfortunately the number of severe acute malnourished cases has been increasing by more than 75 percent since 2014”.

    “Going by the increased number of children registered at the center, the current inflation and high rate of dollar exchange has made it difficult to cover all the targeted children.

    He said in order to address and bridge the funding gap, “there is indispensable need for local government council and the state to increase their funding toward the nutrition programmes.

    The 12 participating local government councils in the state had agreed that the local government councils increase their contribution funds to meet the challenges on the programme.”

    The chairmen announced the new development while signing the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the continuation of the CMAM programme in the state.

    The MoU was signed after a two-day stake holders meeting between the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, state’s Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), the 12 local government council’s chairmen, representatives of the state house of Assembly and the media.

    Participants at meeting agreed on increase of funds by over 250 percent by the local governments, as a result of increase on exchange rate and rapid increase of malnourished children under five years in the state in the recent years.

    Speaking at the meeting, the executive secretary of the Jigawa State Primary Health Care Agency, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim, said the state is the highest with malnourished children in the country with 62.3 percent malnourished children under five years.

    The executive secretary who was represented by the director Primary Health Care, Dr. Shehu Sambo explained that “over one million children representing 62.3 percent were malnourished, a situation that made the state highest malnourished children in this country”