Chime hails UNICEF support for healthcare services in Enugu
Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has described the partnership between his administration in the state with UNICEF in promoting healthcare and other social services to the people as very beneficial and rewarding..
Governor Chime made the assertion through his deputy, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi at the signing of the 2013 Programme Implementation Agreement (PIA) between the state government and the UNICEF Country Representatives at the Government House, Enugu.
Governor Chime noted that the state benefited most in the partnership in area of policy formulation for the healthcare of children and women.
He added that Enugu State was the first to launch the Free Maternal and Child Healthcare in Nigeria at the inception of the administration and had sustained the programme till date with good results.
The State Chief Executive added that on assumption of office, his administration introduced Free Education to primary and junior secondary schools which he said has increased school enrollment in the state.
He explained that government also empowered women through workshop and seminars on HIV/AID eradication in the state.
The Governor said that his administration is women friendly, adding that 30% of elected and appointed posts in the state are occupied by women and that they are doing well. Governor Chime observed that with the signing of the implementation agreement, a new chart has been created to actualize the drive on the 2013 programme.
Earlier in an address, the leader of the UNICEF Country Representatives, Jean Cough expressed happiness for the cordial relationship existing between the state government and UNICEF, adding that Governor Chime's administration has continued to provide enabling environment that had facilitated her organization's implementation of her programmes in the state.
She added that she was in the Government House to formalize the partnership of UNICEF with the state government to foster the interest of women and children.
She said that UNICEF and state governments signed an annual Programme Implementation Agreement (PIA) in line with the Federal Government/UNICEF 2009 to 2013 country programme of cooperation.
UNICEF Country Representative added that the ongoing health sector programmes in the state are impressive, especially the strengthening of human resources cutting across all the community health facilities, the provision of logistic support, and the procurement of drugs to support the free health services for women and children.
She further said that UNICEF would continue to provide technical support to ministries, departments and agencies in the state including the civil society organizations for the realization of the rights of women and children.
She enumerated some of the achievements made by UNICEF in partnership with the Enugu State Government for children survival, basic education and protection in the state. According to her, they were successful implementation of two rounds of maternal newborn child health week, adopting of frontline measures that have demonstrated ownership and commitments to the 2009 neonatal child health resolution.
She stressed the need for renewed efforts in scanting up achievements in routine immunization, that is cost effective and an essential measures of prevention of childhood illness and diseases.
M/S Cough requested Governor Chime to sustain the progress and consolidate on the gains made in improving child health outcomes in the state.
She pleaded to the state government to increase the allocation of resources to the delivery of services to children.