The Wife of Sokoto State Governor, Hajiya Fatima Aliyu and some nursing mothers, have commended the UN
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for establishing a modern baby care unit in Sokoto State.
The governor’s wife, on Friday in Sokoto, described the newly equipped state-of-the-art facilities Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) located at
the Specialist Hospital in Sokoto donated by UNICEF as “a life saving effort.”
She said that the project, along with other interventions, would complement government efforts in reducing maternal and infant mortality
and improve children’s health since from birth.
She assured more support to donor agencies as they are executing programmes targeted at improving the well-being of citizens.
She further assured sustained mobilisation of women on antenatal care, immunisations, birth registrations and others across the state.
In separate interviews, some nursing mothers, A’isha Haruna, Bilkisu Bello and Rablatu Sabi’u, described the baby unit
as distinct effort that would save infants’ lives, in recognition of health challenges occasioned with afterbirth.
The Chief Medical Director of the Specialist Hospital, Dr Attahiru Isa, commended the Sokoto State Government and UNICEF
for the intervention.
Isa said the unit is equipped with the required equipment and consumables for successful child care according of standard procedures.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the Country Representative of UNICEF, Ms Cristian Munduate, on Tuesday, handed over
the unit to the Sokoto State Government through the Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Asabe Balarabe.
Munduate said the centre is aimed at addressing child mortality and take care of children born with ailments or with low weight due to
mothers lack of nutrition or with any infection at birth.
She explained that the unit is provided with high technology equipment which is exclusively for newborn children who need
immediate medical attention in incubators.
She expressed satisfaction with the preparedness of the hospital in ensuring that their staff have already been trained to handle
the equipment for optimum use. (NAN)
