The FCT Administration in 2013 spent the sum of N635 million on programmes that have positive impact on the lives of women and children particularly those dwelling in the rural areas.
FCT Minister, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, made this disclosure while flagging off the 2014 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week in the FCT at the Gwarinpa District Hospital, Abuja on Monday.
Mohammed further disclosed that these programmes include Free Antenatal Care, free medical treatment of children under 5 Years of age and Distribution of Long Lasting Insecticide Nets to households.
His words: “For this scheme, we have procured and distributed lifesaving drugs like Mebendazole, anti-malaria, desolate, folic acid, antibiotics and Oral Rehydration salts to 248 Health Facilities spread across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory”.
Mohammed while noting the FCT Administration’s modest achievements in the healthcare sector; expressed the commitment of his Administration to do more because he believes that there is always room for improvement.
The Minister reiterated that Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week has been packaged as an approach by the FCT Administration aimed at delivering integrated package of interventions that have been proven cost effective, qualitative, impactful and result-oriented for the good health of mothers and children.
He remarked that the theme for this week’s celebration has been aptly tagged “A package for a lifetime of better health for the family” with the slogan: “A Package of care for healthy family” to ensure that there is full participation of all residents.
Mohammed thus directed that in order to make it much more impactful and beneficial to the people that need it at the grassroots, this significant initiative be celebrated in all the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory.
He further directed that celebrations in the six Area Councils should be focused extensively on awareness creation activities, facility-based service delivery targeting women and children.
Speaking earlier, the FCT Minister of State, Olajumoke Akinjide said, to ensure the success of this edition of the programme, about 3,000 trained Health Workers will be deployed to provide quality Primary Health Care in at least 248 Health facilities and 496 Outreach sites spread across the FCT.
She stated that last year, the Administration introduced Community Health Insurance Scheme in 30 communities of the FCT to improve health care delivery services and access for the residents.
Welcoming guests to the occasion, the FCT Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr. Ademola Onakomaiya said that the FCT Administration under the leadership of Senator Bala Mohammed is passionately committed to bring about improved health for women and children in the FCT regardless of where they are from.
Dr. Onakomaiya used the occasion to solicit for the participation and involvement in all health activities of all stakeholders especially members of the Organized Private Sector as well as development partners.
