By Uchenna Okolie (Borno State Correspondent)
The United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA ) has donated 18,646 personal protective pieces of equipment ( PPEs ) and life-saving commodities to the Borno state government as part of safety measures against the COVID-19 pandemic to the various health sectors in the state.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony in Maiduguri, Mr Christian Macauley, Humanitarian Coordinator and Head of UNPFA Office Northeast, said the gesture is aimed to support the Borno state government in ensuring assess to sexual and reproductive health in Emergency.
Macauley noted that UNPFA has been on the side of the state government since the onset of the Boko Haram insurgency and as well as since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
He said UNPFA scaled up it response to ensure that assess to sexual and reproductive health are not interrupted by providing essential medication and ensuring that it continues providing services to ensure that those affected by Boko Haram insurgency continue getting the services in the context of where movements were restricted especially, during the lockdown.
He said:" We will continue affirming our contributions to ensure that in the second wave of COVID-19, no woman, no girl and no African population would be cut off from services. That is why we provided these supplies which included 3,646 panoramic regular nose indirect ventilation safety goggles; 3000 non-surgical gloves; 6000 short examination gloves; and 6000 surgical face masks among others."
Receiving the items, Dr. Mohammed Chuluze, the Permanent Secretary Borno State Ministry of Health, said those who have been following trends will know that UNPFA is a household name that has been giving support to the health sector in the state.
He added that the items distributed will go right into those areas that they are meant to be.
Represented by the director of medical services, Dr. Buba Mshelia, the permanent secretary, said those officers that will receive the item will ensure that they are utilized as expected and accounts for it so that they get lost.
"Whoever put them away from where they are supposed to be will answer questions that are expected," he said.
Also speaking, Director Emergency Response, Dr. Baba Shehu Mohammed, noted that the equipment donated is handy at this time particularly, when the country is experiencing the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
"So it is going to be handy as we have to some extent exhausted most of the commodities that we have. So we hope that all the beneficiaries of the equipment will make judicious use of the items," he said. NNL.
