From Timothy Olanrewaju Maiduguri
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has donated about 20,000 Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) and life saving commodities to health workers in primary health facilities in Borno State.
Head of UNFPA Maiduguri sub-Office, Christian Macauley while handing over the PPEs to Borno State government on Friday at the state Medical Store in Maiduguri, said it was part of the fund intervention under its sexual reproductive health and Gender-based violence programme.
“UNFPA is providing this support of PPEs and life-saving items to Borno State government to ensure the reproductive health is not instructed especially during this COVID-19 period,” Macauley said.
He explained that the equipment were meant for health workers at the primary health facilities in the state. He said the PPEs were to ensure the health workers are protected against Coronavirus while attending to women in the primary health care facilities.
He said the items include 3646 pieces of Panaromic regular Nose indirect Ventilation safety goggle, 3000 pieces of long surgical glooves, 6000 pieces of short examinations gloooves and 6000
surgical facemask among others.
He recalled the fund has continued to support the state in enhancing and increasing accesss to sexual Reproductive Health and Gender based violence. He said the support was in continuation of the mini ambulance support last year for evacuation of women especially pregnant one in hard-to-reach area to health facilities.
Borno State Director of Medical Services, Dr Buba Mshelia who represented the permanent secretary ministry of health, Dr Mohammed Ghuluze commended UNFPA for the support. He said the intervention was timely as the state almost exhausted its stock of personal protection.
“The support came very handy at this period of the security me wave of the pandemic,” he said.