The Country Director of Nutrition International, Dr Osita Okonkwo, has handed over Zinc and ORS co-packs to the Sokoto State Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) facility.
As part of his working visit to the State, Dr Okonkwo and his entourage also paid a working visit to the Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Hon. Tukur Bala Bodinga.
Performing the handover, Dr Okonkwo said Nutrition International provided 48,000 packs to start somewhere and demonstrate to the state government what it means to invest in tackling malnutrition.
Addressing the staff of the DRF, Dr Okonkwo said, “As Nutrition International, we do not take over the responsibility of the government; rather, we support the government. With what we are doing today, we believe you will be more emboldened to engage the government.
It will also help your agency to have something to start with, so that when children come down with diarrhoea, caregivers will have something to give within 24 hours.
We hope that with all the training Nutrition International provides for health workers across the state, our children and the state will be better for it.”
Responding, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Dr Umar Abubakar, represented by Pharmacist Habibu Muhammad, expressed the state’s gratitude for the collaboration with Nutrition International.
Pharmacist Muhammad, who is the State Director of Pharmacy Services, said Nutrition International has been a strong partner to the state and expressed his desire for the collaboration to continue.
He commended Nutrition International’s support for the Drug Revolving Fund scheme in the state.
“Despite all the challenges we face in the state, Nutrition International is always there to support us through capacity building, support, and supervision. You have also supported us in the provision of DRF tools.
As you noted, this donation will not go around the state, but we still appreciate your modest support, which will go a long way in providing relief, especially to the vulnerable,” Pharmacist Muhammad said.
At the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Dr Okonkwo gave a brief summary of Nutrition International, which is solely funded by the Canadian government. He also spoke extensively on what the organisation has done for the state and how sustained collaboration can be strengthened.
Dr Okonkwo emphasised that, beyond Vitamin A supplementation, Nutrition International provides maternal health support to pregnant women and trains health workers and caregivers to identify diarrhoea before it becomes severe and to manage it within 24 hours.
The Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Hon. Tukur Bala Bodinga, appreciated Nutrition International’s efforts and promised that the House would appropriate funds as requested by the executive.
Hon. Bodinga added: “In line with the transparency framework, the House will not relent in carrying out its mandatory oversight functions on every appropriation in the state health sector.”
The Nutrition International team later visited the Primary Healthcare Centre in Rumbukawa, Sokoto North LGA, where it held an interactive session with health workers.
At Rumbukawa PHC, the Officer-in-Charge, Mustapha Umar, conducted Dr Okonkwo and his team on a tour of the facility.
The tour covered the consultation room, family planning unit, immunisation and nutrition unit, ANC/Labour room, pharmacy, laboratory, and SOCHEMA pharmacy.
