North-East gulps N4b on humanitarian projects
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health, has spent over 4 billion in the on- going humanitarian crisis in the North – East region of Nigeria.
Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole stated this at the commemoration of the 2017 World Humanitarian Day in Abuja recently.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Health, Prof. Adewole said N4 billion was used in purchasing relief materials, including drugs and medical consumables, hospital equipment, capacity building and deployment of volunteer health workers.
He added that a two-pronged approach was adopted solely to provide basic medical services to the affected population and strengthen the pillars of the health system.
He affirmed that the Federal Ministry of Health has responded to the humanitarian situation within Nigeria by strengthening the Special Project Department and appointing a Substantive Director to coordinate health related response to the on-going humanitarian crisis within the country.
He pointed out that the on–going humanitarian crisis was unprecedented and protracted with Borno State as the epicenter, stressing that a broad North–East Health Sector Humanitarian Crisis Response Strategic Plan (NEHSHRSP) was developed with the primary objective of repositioning the health system within the region.
The minister affirmed there was a Rapid Response Team tasked with the responsibility to develop a six month health and nutritional plan in Borno State to address the rapid decline in health and nutritional indices being experienced.
He noted that the plan was developed, approved, implemented and now being extended by another six months as a result of increased access to quality healthcare to communities achieved.
He enumerated the achievements of the project to include diagnosis and treatment of about 15,000 cases of malaria in host communities and IDP camps, as well as provision of family planning commodities to about 4,000 women in host communities and IDP camps.
Angela Onwuzoo
