More women, children visits Kebbi facilities to access kechema, Unicef/GAVI's health intervention

From Samaila Bayo

More women and children now access health facilities in Bagudo Local Government Areas of Kebbi State following Kechema's health program with support from Unicef/GAVI.

The Officers In charge, MCH Bagudo, Hauwawu Shehu said the facility has continued to witness more women coming for pre natal, post natal and immunization for their children since the commencement of the Unicef Zero Dose intervention.

The Unicef/GAVI Zero Dose support program is aimed at supporting10,200 lives in 36 PHCs under kechema in three local governments of Birnin Kebbi, Gwandu and Bagudo in kebbi State.

While speaking to newsmen about the intervention during the 4th facilities tour organized by Kechema to ascertain the success and challenges of the scheme in some selected local government areas of the state, the OIC, Hauwawu Shehu of MCH,Bagudo said the number of women enrollees at the facility have increased because of the free medical services rendered to them during their pre natal, post natal and immunization of their children courtesy of the Kechema's Unicef support program.

She said the program initiated by Unicef and funded by Gavi has helped over 25 women who registered at the MCH to be delivered safely through the vagina and CS through referral to the general hospital. 

"The Unicef immunization and health program for pregnant women was successful here. Since the kechema/Unicef intervention the number of immunization and delivery have increased here as more women now come for antenatal and immunization.

"One of the beneficiaries of the program here Aisha Ahmadu was on referral to the general hospital Kaoje where CS was performed on her and she delivered safely. Many other women in Bagudo axis now visit our facility because of kechema and Unicef intervention", she said.

Collaborating her, the Principal Medical Officer, (PMO) Kaoje General Hospital, Dr Kola Onarinde said over 670 out of the over 1,000 enrollees were treated at the hospital last month. "Three of them were successfully delivered through CS and 1 through Virgina. We have achieved progress in the Unicef/Kechema's intervention and enrollment has continued to increase", he said.

Some of the beneficiaries of the Zero Dose program at the Kaoje general hospital, Aisha Ahmadu, Mariya Yakubu and Miamimuna Rabiu and Jabo Rabo at the Kaliel PHC, all in Bagudo Local Government area of the state expressed happiness and commended unicef/Gavi for supporting Kechema for them to access free medical services during and after their deliveries at the health facilities. 

"I delivered my baby through CS, it was from this PHC that I was referred to the general hospital where I delivered safely. My husband did not pay any money for all the medical services they rendered to me. Everything was done free of charge. I thank kechema and I also thank Unicef for their support to me and my baby," Aisha said.