By Iliya Kure
Kaduna (Nigeria) — Zangon Kataf Local Government Council in Kaduna State, northern Nigeria, says it will soon release the two million Naira budgeted to boost family planning services uptake in the area.
Interim Management Committee Chairman of the Council, Aliyu Anthony made this known when he received a delegation from the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI), who paid him a visit in his office.
Anthony described “saving the lives of our women” as a key component of governance, hence the resolve of the Council to release funds meant for family planning.
He expressed appreciation to NURHI for adding his LGA in its project saying, “We are lucky, Zangon Kataf is counted among the selected. It is not all the LGAs that are selected, and not all the States in Nigeria are selected, but Zangon Kataf is selected.
“Your programme is all embracing not leaving out key stakeholders, it brought on board the traditional rulers, religious leaders and the policy makers.
“On our part as an LGA, the 2 million Naira needed is not a cause for alarm. We shall release it, after all, it is only once in a year. The present administration in the state is committed to issues of health and has placed priority on that.
“For us, anything health should go side by side with security, and we’ll ensure that our staff and traditional councils are more responsive to this cause. If there is anything on enlightenment, do let us know, we’ll do our part, and we’ll do more to excel on our good record,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Kaduna State Team Leader of NURHI, Kabir Abdullahi, said they were on the visit to introduce the project to the leadership of the Local Government, as well as canvass for the release of 2 million Naira budgeted in the local government operational plan for family planning services.
The funds he said will help the Health Department of the LGA to provide equipment and consumables free of charge to women who want to access family planning services.
He described the situation of maternal deaths in Kaduna as pathetic, where 5 women die daily in pregnancy related cases, adding that NURHI is out to help reduce that through strengthening of family planning.
“On our part we shall provide free services during outreach, as well as provide competency training to your service providers at the health facilities,” he said.