Dr Abdulai Kaikai, Chief Field Officer, UNICEF Field Office Bauchi, has confirmed release of N101 million counterpart fund by Taraba Government for UNICEF supported health and education programmes in the State.
Kaikai confirmed the release of the fund at a two-day mid-year review meeting on the implementation of Taraba Government/UNICEF programme for the first half of 2016 in Jalingo on Saturday.
“This is our first joint review in Taraba since UNICEF adopted a new planning process of aligning with the state planning process.
“Through this process, UNICEF has capitalised on the strength and comparative advantages of the different MDAs toward increasing the UNICEF supported activities’ impact through coherent and accountability of implementing agencies’’, he said.
Represented by Mr Drissa Yeo, Head, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Projects Bauchi Field Office, Abdulai said UNICEF was currently providing support to Taraba in two thematic areas.
He gave the areas as maternal and neo-natal child health and polio as well as basic education.
“These programmes are consistent with priorities of the state and federal government’s emphasis on implementing Paris Declaration, Accra Agenda for Action and Busan recommendations for effective development assistance.’’
He commended the high-level of commitment of the state and encouraged it to continue to provide counterpart funding for the benefit of children in the area.
Commissioner for Health in Taraba, Dr Innocent Vakai thanked international partners especially UNICEF and the WHO, for their continued support toward the promotion of quality healthcare services in the state.
He assured that the state would continue to provide the enabling environment that would improve the quality of life for the people.
Executive Secretary of Taraba Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Alhaji Aminu Hassan, said the state was making efforts to provide one primary health care facility in the 167 wards across the state.
He said the agency trained personnel for the implementation of the UNICEF assisted Polio Eradication and Strengthening Healthcare in popularly called “hard to reach communities.’’
He explained that 350 “hard to reach’’ settlements’’ had been identified and covered under the programme within the first half of the year. (NAN)
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