UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has donated Sexual and Reproductive Health commodities and Personal Protective Equipment (PPES) to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable women and adolescents in Kaduna State.
Mariama Darboe, the Head of UNFPA office in Northern Nigeria, presented the items to the state’s Commissioner for Health, Amina Baloni on Friday in Kaduna.
She said that the donation was part of a national response strategy “to minimize disruption in the delivery of critical socio-economic and health services and mitigate pandemic-related impacts on critical infrastructure.”
Darboe said Kaduna State was among the 10 states selected for support under the UN System in Nigeria (UN Basket Fund), a national multi-sectorial response strategy of the Federal Government.
She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic compounded existing gender inequalities and increased cases of Gender-Based Violence, child marriage, adolescent pregnancy and affected access to protective sexual and reproductive health services.
She stressed that the protection and promotion of the rights of women and girls, particularly of people with disabilities, people living with
HIV/AIDS is critical to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS).
The official explained that the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) would facilitate the distribution of the items to the 32 implementing health facilities in Chikun and Kaduna North Local Government areas.
Responding, Baloni said the health kits and PPE came at the right time and thanked the UNFPA “for its tireless support to the state government.”
She said that the COVID-19 pandemic was a great threat to the health sector and led to rise in GBV cases, especially rape.
She said, “What has been donated today will be very useful for those group of people. The items would be distributed to young women and vulnerable groups to ensure that they are are not disadvantaged in anyway while trying to get on with their daily activities.”
Items donated include dignity kits, cartons of hand sanitiser, surgical gloves, liquid hand washing soap, disinfectant, surgical face masks and examination gloves.