The Korea International Cooperation Agency, KOICA, Office in Nigeria in collaboration with the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is delivering critical medical services to women and girls in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The project is with a total funding support of 5 million US Dollars, under a 4-year period, 2018 -2021.
The humanitarian project is titled “Fostering Resilience and Provision of Basic Medical Services for Women and Girls in Borno State, Nigeria” and is being currently implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The project is designed to increase access to comprehensive maternal and child healthcare, fistula care and improve capacity for result-based data management system.
During the mission trip, the KOICA team led by the Country Director, Mr. Woochan Chang paid a courtesy visit to the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, accompanied by the UNFPA delegation led by the Country Representative, Ms. Ulla Elisabeth Mueller.
Governor Zulum appreciated the Korean Government’s support in ”increasing access to comprehensive maternal and child health care and fistula care for women and girls in Borno State.”
He emphasised on the need to avoid duplication of efforts among donor partners in the state.
The KOICA Country Director, appreciated the Governor for his hospitality and appealed for the Governor’s support in ensuring the sustainability of the project deliverables after the end of the project.
Monitoring and Evaluation activities carried out during the trip included a visit to the fully equipped Fistula Centre of Excellence at the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri.
The Fistula Centre of Excellence Is a major output of KOICA’s intervention and the center has been adjudged as a flagship Ultra-modern center for the repair of obstetric fistula cases in the Northeast.
Other highlights of the mission trip included; the launching of the first-of-its-kind Fistula Centre of Excellence and Integrated Women Empowerment Centre located with Maiduguri Municipal Council (MMC) by Professor Isa Marte, Chief of Staff to the Borno State Governor who represented the Governor and the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo who represented the First Lady of Borno State, Dr. Falmata Umara Zullum.
The team also visited other project sites and beneficiaries such as the newly constructed and equipped Women and Girls Safe (WGS) Spaces and Integrated Facility in Maiduguri Municipal Council (MMC), selected health facilities benefiting from the procurement and supplies of medical equipment and other items essential for health services, and Established Safe Spaces at Muna Garage and Farm Center IDP Camps all within MMC.
Meetings with project stakeholders, Commissioners of Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and Ministry of Health, selected health workers trained on fistula care delivery, and fistula survivors were also carried out.
The project has enabled the delivery of maternal and child health care and fistula care related trainings to 374 health workers, supported 449 free repair surgeries obstetric fistula cases at the Ultra-modern fistula center, delivered vocational skills training and starter-kits to 391 fistula survivors, supported 72, 916 assisted deliveries by skilled birth assistants, supported 3,032 Caesarean deliveries, 43,773 Antenatal Care (ANC) delivery, 29,902 Postnatal Care (PNC) delivery.
It has also enhanced the capacity of primary healthcare facilities to deliver maternal and child healthcare in the Covid-19 outbreak through the procurement of 10 mini-ambulances, supported the upgrade and renovation of two existing health facilities at 505 Housing Jere LGA and Usmanti settlement of Konduga LGA, provided 78 health facilities with essential medical equipment, supplies and other items essential for health services delivery, and improved data collection and reporting from Maternal and child health facilities within MMC, JERE and Konduga LGAs.
The project also occasionally supported deliveries of Covid-19 PPEs to 65 health facilities to ensure the safety of frontline health and social workers and beneficiaries of SRH and GBV services as well as sustain/enhance access and availability of these services.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
