Canada, UNFPA donate $6.2m health equipment to Nigeria

The items according to a statement from the Canadian High Commission in Abuja, were handed over to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) for distribution to health facilities benefiting from the Midwives Service Scheme and SURE-P in six focal states.The states are: Lagos, Kebbi, Cross Rivers, Kaduna, Adamawa and Ebonyi.The state statement said: […]

The items according to a statement from the Canadian High Commission in Abuja, were handed over to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) for distribution to health facilities benefiting from the Midwives Service Scheme and SURE-P in six focal states.
The states are: Lagos, Kebbi, Cross Rivers, Kaduna, Adamawa and Ebonyi.
The state statement said: “This intervention is a demonstration of government and development partners’ commitment to scale up access to life-saving commodities that are necessary to accelerate reductions in maternal, neonatal and child mortality, morbidity and improve Nigeria’s health outcomes to enhance the achievement of the health related MDGs, particularly MDGs 4, 5 and 6.” According to Ms Victoria Akyeampong, UNFPA Resident Representative, “Government and Development partners must continue to demonstrate the political will and invest more resources to increase access to maternal health services through evidence-based interventions.”
she said it is critical because the lives of women and young girls depend on it and expressed hope that the distribution of will contribute to a paradigm shift towards the elimination of preventable causes of death and significant reduction in mortality among mothers, newborn and children.
The items being donated include Magnesium Sulphate for managing Eclampsia in pregnancy (which is the cause of about 11% of maternal deaths), Oxytocin, use for prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage (which accounts for about 23% of maternal deaths in Nigeria).
Other essential medicines being donated include Contraceptives, Antibiotics, and medical equipment such as Resuscitation tables, Midwifery kits, Abdominal Retractors, Autoclaves for sterilization of surgical equipment and Surgical gowns, all of which will help to enhance the quality of maternal health services.  These donations of medical equipment and essential medicines are in addition to investments by UNFPA and Canadian Government in capacity building and training of health providers to the tune of over $4 million in 2013.
UNFPA and UNH4+ continues to seize opportunities such as the Midwives Service Scheme of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to make reproductive health and rights a reality for Nigerian women and girls through improved access to effective methods of contraception, maternal health medicines and quality maternal health services.