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Dr. Alhassan Siaka, State Director, USAID-IHP
By Akanji Olowolodu, Bauchi
Worried by the rate of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) among children Under-5 in Bauchi State due to lack of availability of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has expressed its readiness to make the commodity available to meet its demand.
To this end, USAID through its Integrated Health Programme (IHP) is commiting the sum of 1million USD as support for the provision of the commodity which will be distributed to the designated health facilities across the state.
According to him, the aim is to strengthen the issue of nutrition and children health in the state in line with the Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The disclosure was made by the State Director of USAID-IHP, Dr Alhassan Siaka in a good will message delivered on behalf of all USAID funded interventions in the State, during the 2022 Annual Recognition and Award Ceremony for Best Performing LGAs, Health Facilities, Traditional Leaders and other Special Awards.
Siaka also congratulated the state for winning the $400,000 money prize attached to the award of Best improved primary healthcare in North-East subregion by Leadership Challenge on Primary Healthcare.
According to him, “You cannot win anything in the Leadership Challenge without effective leadership and I think this is a tastement that Bauchi State has enjoyed immense leadership under your tutelage, Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Baba Tela as well as that of HRH, Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman and I believe that Primary Healthcare in Bauchi state is lucky to have both of you run its affairs in the last 4 years.”
The State Director added that,”Sometimes I wonder and panic about what will happen in the next 4 years without you, we only hope that this leadership style will be sustained, otherwise, Bauchi State will be in trouble and the USAID is not unaware of the level of commitment Bauchi State to the provision of quality primary healthcare service delivery.”
He also expressed his hope that the entire sum be channel into the State Basket Fund for improved primary healthcare in the the state considering the difficulty the state is facing in contributing to the basket.
Siaka further said that the support by USAID was in recognition of the state government’s commitment in the provision of affordable and quality primary healthcare services to the people of the state.
He said that in view of the milestone achievement by the government, and to be part of the journey, the USAID also injected additional 500,000 USD in technical support for sustainable primary healthcare service delivery across the state.
He however stressed the need for the government to enhance process of ownership of all the intervention programmes preparatory to the end of the programmes which is not far from now.
According to him, USAID-IHP will use the next 12 months to strengthen technical support to management of the Agency on how to continue with the programmes when it ends as well as achieve the set objectives of the interventions.
Siaka assured that USAID is always ready to support the state in the provision of efficient and effective primary healthcare delivery services.
