By Maikudi Muhammad Marafa
Kano State Government has reaffirmed commitment to continue Collaborating with Non-Government Organization for a sustainable Health care Service Delivery.
The Director General Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board Dr. Nasir Mahmoud disclosed this at the Commissioning of Newly expansion of ICU-ITFC at Unguwa Uku Primary health care in Tarauni Local Government and Induction of 2023-2024 MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERS (MSF) Academy Session.
Dr, Nasir further stated that, since the outbreak of Diphtheria in Kano State in December last year, Kano State has been battling the outbreak and working very closely with a number of organizations including MSF and MSF has supported Kano State to establish Diphtheria treatment centres at IDH, Murtala Muhammad Hospital and Waziri Gidado hospital, adding that, MSF has also renovated several PHC in Kano State which include, Unguwa Uku PHC in Tarauni Local Government, Tudun Fulani PHC in Kumbotso Local Government, Lawan Dambazau Clinic in Municipal Local Government and Garangamawa facility in Gwale Gwale Local Government area.
The DG on behalf of Kano State government commended MSF for the wonderful contribution and greater priority attention given to the health sector as well as expressing satisfaction for the establishment of MSF Academy which he described as a unique opportunity for the State and the inductees in broadening their knowledge in the course of their nine month intensive training to be conducted by MSF.
He further assured that, Kano State Government under Governor Abba Yusuf will take maximum advantage and opportunity provided by MSF for adaptation, stressing that, preparation is in top gear by the Kano State Government to establish and overhaul the PHC sector as one functional PHC will be establish at each and every ward of the 448 political wards in the state.
In his remark, The MSF Project Coordinator Dr. Hussain Ismail highlighted on the MSF intervention in Kano State adding that, since the beginning of the year 2023 up-to September this year, MSF has general out patents department consultation of 50,759, 40% of the consultations according to the Project coordinator 20,304 were children under 5 years, adding that, in MCH an Anti-Natal Consultation of 16,943, Post Natal Consultation since the beginning of this year is 3,503, while family planning recorded 1,714 respectively.
Dr. Hussain further state that, since the beginning of the year until end of September MSF has conducted 1,937 deliveries under the MCH, while under the two nutrition programs run by the MSF which include, The ambulatory feeding centre which is an outpatient care for nutrition and also an In-Patient Therapeutic feeding centre which targets children with severely malnutrition.
While for the NTSC program 16,683 consultations were conducted within this year and 86% of these have been cured and the curement of this is 86% and the mortality rate was less than 1%.
Similarly as the MSF Coordinator explained, in ITFC 1,353 admission of severe malnutrition cases have been manage at the MSF facility, and also contributed for the upgrading of Unguwa Uku Laboratory which can run blood screening and transfusion which is not common in many Primary health care facilities in the state.
The Coordinator also lamented on the challenges facing the nutrition program under unguwa uku facility which is the facility running a full nutrition activities in Kano State and therefore, advocates for the centralization of the nutrition activity to be extended to all the PHC facilities so that patients who are travelling from the distance of 60 kilometers can be able to access the nutrition services at the selected facilities as well as reduce the burden of the distance covered by many patients to access the nutrition services offer by the MSF.
When elaborating on the MSF Academy, Dr. Husssain said, three mentors have been selected who have graduated in the first group and they are expected to be supervising and supporting the new team that a enrolled this month were been selected from the previous MSF Academy team, while the second group selected will be the beneficiaries for the second part of the MSF Academy team which will run for Nine month, stressing that, MSF is looking forward to have the MSF Academy program to be replicated through the support and cooperation of the Primary Health care Management Board so as to pave way for the expansion of the program in such a way that, the Board will take lead in terms of identifying facilities that require capacity building.
Dr. Hussain started that, MSF will work hand-in-hand to support the program and expressed happiness on the support Kano State Government is given since the commencement of the intervention in the state through the PHCMB which he said is commendable and MSF is looking forward for more support in order to meet the needs of the beneficiaries, adding that, MSF, will see through a successful exit plan as MSF activities are mostly based on limited timeframe.
The MSF Project Coordinator concluded by ensuring that, “ During our Presence in Kano State, we will look toward to work hand-in-hand with Kano State Government to make sure we will have a successful excellent strategy for our program in the long term Plan”.
Also speaking, the representative of the Hon. Minister of Health and Social Wefare Professor Ali Pate who is also a Stakeholder Engagement officer Northwest Malam Haruna Abubakr Bebeji expressed gratitude to MSF for their unwavering commitment in improving health care services in Kano state and the country at large, adding that, the recent completion of the ICU-ITFC PHC facility at Unguwa Uku in Tarauni Local Government area is a clear testament to the dedication and passion of the MSF in providing quality health care to those in need, stressing that, the commission project is nothing but a gigantic achievement which embodies the spirit of collaboration for a share vision for a better health care.
Professor Pate stressed that, the federal Ministry of Health has always sought to improve Health care delivery in Nigeria and the project executed by The MSF seamlessly complements this effort, adding that, “Together we can enhance the quality and stability of health care services.
The projects executed by MSF according to the Minister will have an impact on the lives of the people , adding that, the projects will also provide critical care facilities that were previously unavailable, ensuring that, patients in need of intensive care will receive prompt and efficient treatment which will undeniably save lives and support the overall health infrastructure in the state.
He further stressed that, by partnering with the current leadership of the Kano State Primary Health Care management Board MSF has demonstrated that, collaboration is the key to achieving sustainable change in the health care sector.
He call upon other international NGO’s and agencies to emulate MSF and also urged for community participation especially in the health care service delivery stressing the need for community and surrounding areas to take full advantage of the facilities and services provided by the ICU-ITFC for active engagement and full utilization to ensure the full impact of the project reaches its full potentials.
In their remarks, the Chairman Tarauni Local Government Council represented by the vice chairman of the council Hon, Nasir Shua’aibu and the represented of the District head of Tarauni Village head of Unguwa Uku Malam Salihi Garba Abubakar commended MSF for the execution of the project in the area as well as employing the citizens of the area and assured for the protection and proper utilization of the facilities and services for betterment of the entire people of the area.
The occasion was rounded up with the commissioning of the project and induction of the MSF Academy by the Director General Kano State Primary Health care management Board and other dignitaries.
