Aisha Buhari's Visit To Kebbi For Maternal And Newborn Child Health Week (MNCH)

The wife of the President of Nigeria, Hajiya Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, was in Kebbi state on Thursday, February 4, 2016 to flag-off the Kebbi State Maternal and Newborn Child Health (MNCH) Week.

She was welcomed at the airport on Thursday afternoon by the state governor, His Excellency Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, alongside his wife Dr Zainab Atiku Bagudu, other government dignitaries, as well as thousands of other well-wishers. The minister of health Prof Isaac Adewole, ES National Primary health care agency Dr Ado Mohammed and UNFPA country rep Rati Ndhiovu were some. 

According to the senior special assistant to the state governor on new media, Aisha Augie-Kuta, Mrs. Buhari also commissioned the newly upgraded Birnin Yari primary health care centre, which serves as an infrastructural and economic model for all existing and subsequent PHC centers in the 'Getting to 225' one PHC per ward program of the state.  She also opened the Jega General Hospital which has been named after her by the state government.

Mrs Buhari was expected to commission an Islamic school built in her honor in Argungu town but was unable to due to time constraints. 

All these activities are in line with the objectives of the "Future Assured" Programme of the wife of the President Mrs Aisha Muhammadu Buhari.

The MNCH Week is the first in the state this year and the first since the commencement of the “Saving One Million Lives Initiative” of the World Bank. The initiative is focused on evidence-based, cost effective interventions that are proven, and addresses the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. 

Meanwhile, on Wednesday February 3, 2016, key stakeholders in the health-care industry, development partners and donor agencies participated in a panel discussion titled “Getting to 225 – A Project for Accelerated Implementation of Quality Primary Health Care Services in Kebbi State.”.

Kebbi State has 225 political wards and the state is working in line with the National Policy of One Primary Health Care (PHC) per ward that provides Maternal and Child Health-Care services. So far the State has 68 facilities. Most of these were inherited by the Bagudu administration in varying states of disrepair or unused. The Birnin Yari Jega PHC has over 2000 monthly attendance.

Within the last 8 months, the new government has embarked on a total overhaul of the health system. Key measures taken are the modernization and refurbishment of Primary Health Centers,  One PHC per ward, passing the Primary Health Care Under One Roof law and Universal Health Care coverage provision.

As part of other activities, Mrs Buhari paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Gwandu. Dignitaries of note at the event were the wife of the senate president, Mrs Saraki, the wife of the speaker, Mrs Dogara, Mrs Pauline Tallen, the wives of the governors and Zamfara and Sokoto state , wives of the ministers of Defence, Education, Youth and sports and water resources amongst others.