By Muhammad Goronyo, Sokoto
Sokoto state government has indicated its willingness to leverage on its partnership with the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to overcome low indicators identified in immunization coverage.
Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto.state stated this Tuesday when he received a delegation from UNICEF led by its Chief Field Officer resident in Kano, Mr Maulid Wafa at Government House, Sokoto.
This was contained in a release by Special Advisre on Media and Publicity, Muhammad Bello.
According to him. his administration will also strive to address the challenges of maternal and child mortality, as well as other healthcare issues affecting the general wellbeing of the people of the state.
Reiterating his administration’s commitment and readiness to continuous partnership with the UNICEF and other developing partners in achieving laudable objectives, the governor
said that the state government believes in strenghtening primary health care.
As a result, he explained, it has utilized the support it got from the basic healthcare provision fund to renovate over 230 primary health care centers (PHCs) that exist in the state, just as it has embarked on continous building of more while providing medicaments to all of them.
The governor also said the state government currently have 600 primary healthcare centres and dispensaries. It is also developing tertiary medical facilities such as a brand new teaching hospital with 950 bed capacity and three premier hospitals in all the three senatorial zones under construction in the state, in addition to general hospitals that are efficiently running in all the local government headquarters in the state.
On the issue of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), the governor said remarkable achievements have been recorded over the years that it has been partnering the UNICEF, especially on open defication.
On the issue of the Clean Nigeria programme, Tambuwal said Sokoto state is keenly interested, emphasizing that the state government have the agencies driving its hygiene policy under the aegis of the ministry of environment, and the Sokoto Urban and Regional Planning Board, but is also interested in furthering its partnership with UNICEF.
In his remarks, the Chief Field Officer of UNICEF Kano office, Mr Wafa appreciated the support and cooperation his organization has been enjoying from the Sokoto state government.
He, however, said social behavior change is one critical issue that need to be addressed, urging traditional rulers to work conscientiously to achieve the desired objectives.
In her address, the Chief of WASH UNICEF Nigeria, Jane Baven, said they were in the state for a programme to provide ten million gallons of water to the people and enhance hygiene, both of which are difficult to accomplish without behavioral change on the part of the recipients.
