The Bauchi state government has received personal protective equipment donated by the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Integrated Health Program (IHP) as part of its series of interventions to the state in the Covid19 response initiatives.
The state director, Integrated Health Project, IHP, Dr Siaka Alhassan while presenting the items to the Bauchi state primary health care development agency said that USAID has been supporting the state to among other things improve access to primary health care services, essential commodities, and increase demand for services in an effort towards strengthening health system of Bauchi State.
He said the Integrated Health Program funded by the USAID considers it fit and proper to procure essential items to support the state in the Covid19 response mechanism especially redirecting and provision of personal protecting equipments that would be used both in primary and secondary health care centres of the state.
He noted that, the project identified the huge gabs in the prevention and control measures at the grassroot levels. said Dr Alhassan
“Health care workers remained veritable instruments in driving quality and improved service delivery, therefore, having suffered greatly from the global health crisis of Covid19, it has become pertinent to provide and safeguard our health providers in their places of work so as to guaranteed a smooth and effective operations of health in our communities”.
Some of the donated items include 1, 432 packs of 3-ply surgical facemasks with hanging rope, 1, 029 bottles of Alcohol based hand sanitizers and 646 bottles of Bleach with 10% chlorine solution as well as 646 roll of cotton wool respectively.
Receiving the equipment on behalf of the Bauchi state government, the executive chairman, Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed appreciated the long standing relationship and consistent contributions of the USAID Integrated Health Program, the kinds of technical support for the Agency to become a viable and more responsive coordinated organization in the delivery of impactful health intervention to the grassroots.
According to Dr Mohammed, having donated the items directly to the primary health care centres in order to support the infection, prevention and control, the Agency will ensure proper and effective utilization of the equipment.
He explained that already the Agency has planned to instruct health departments in local government areas to observe the receiving, distribution and monitoring the movement of all the equipment at the health centres.