By Albert Futukpor, GNA
Garizegu (N/R), March 25, GNA – A Child Welfare Clinic (CWC) has been constructed for the Garizegu community in the Sagnarigu Municipality to provide access to and promote health care and service delivery in the areas of antenatal and postnatal care for mothers and their babies.
The fully-furnished CWC, which is made up of a pavilion, office, store and a two-unit urinal, will also serve as a place for weighing babies as well as to engaging mothers in the Learning through Play methodology, which is vital for the development of children zero to three years.
It was constructed by Markaz-Al-Bishara Child Development Programme (MABCDP) with funding from Children Believe as part of efforts to provide access to and promote health care and service delivery in the Sagnarigu Municipality of the Northern Region.
Mr Joshua Sayibu, Partner Programme Manager of MABCDP, speaking during the handing over of the CWC to the authorities of the Sagnarigu Municipal Health Directorate at Garizegu on Friday, said the organisation prioritised health care services for its sponsored children, families and communities hence the gesture.
The handing over of the Garizegu CWC brought to three the total number of CWCs constructed and handed over to beneficiary health directorates by MABCDP with support from Children Believe within this first quarter of the year.
The remaining two were Kpatinga CWC in the Gushegu Municipality, which was handed over to the Gushegu Municipal Health Directorate on March 22, and the Zagyiri CWC, which was handed over to the Sagnarigu Municipal Health Directorate on February 10.
Mr Sayibu spoke about the Garizegu CWC saying “This is a facility that is very important for the community because where they go for their child health services programme at the Garizegu CHPS Compound is very small; the space is very small and they are congested hence the facility to address the situation.”
MABCDP is a local organisation that has been working in partnership with Children Believe, an international non-governmental organisation, for the past 26 years in Sagnarigu and Gushegu Municipalities and Kumbungu District to improve the lives of children, families and communities.
Mr Sayibu advised members of the community to make good use of the facility encouraging them to take good care of it to serve them well.
Mrs Esenam Kavi De Souza, Country Director of Children Believe, who was represented during the event, said the provision of the CWCs was in line with the Early Childhood Care and Development Programme of Children Believe, which sought to improve the health care needs of infants and mothers adding the CWC would also provide information on sexual and reproductive health to adolescent girls.
Mr Ahmed Yakubu Mohammed, Sagnarigu Municipal Chief Executive thanked MABCDP and Children Believe for providing the facility for the community saying “You have reduced the pressure that was on us to provide this facility, and we are very grateful for this gesture.”
Mr George Abraham, Sagnarigu Municipal Director of Health was optimistic that health outcomes in the area would be improved as mothers patronised the facility.
Mr Iddrisu Abubakar, Assembly Member for Garizegu – Changnaayili Electoral Area expressed appreciation to the partners for the facility saying it would encourage more women to access antenatal and postnatal care in the community.
GNA/