UNFPA Donates To Benue, Reaffirms Support For Vulnerable Persons

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with the support of the Government of Japan, has donated Inter-Agency Reproductive Health (IARH) kits and other humanitarian supplies to the Government of Benue State to strengthen maternal and newborn healthcare, sexual and reproductive health services and gender-based violence response across the State.

The intervention, which will be implemented through the Royal Heritage Health Foundation, is expected to benefit over 100,000 vulnerable persons, particularly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), women and girls affected by the humanitarian crisis in Benue.

UNFPA Resident Representative in Nigeria, Muriel Mafico, said the reproductive health kits were “truly life-saving” and the intervention meant more than the donation of medical supplies during the official handover ceremony at the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BENSEMA) headquarters in Makurdi.

“The kits that we are handing over today will impact over 100,000 persons across the Benue State. But we are investing more in people than in supplies. Supplies alone will not save lives unless health workers are properly trained,” she said.

Mafico said UNFPA would collaborate with the Benue State College of Nursing Sciences to enhance the capacity of nurses, midwives and doctors, and support the establishment of safe spaces and youth-friendly centres in IDP camps to enhance the response to gender-based violence.

She also revealed that the agency would also invest in digital literacy and digital marketing skills for youth and women as part of efforts to promote economic empowerment and to ensure no one is left behind.

“Today we have seen that our support in Benue is making a difference. It is inspiring hope and transforming lives one person at a time. “There are many things to celebrate, but we have to do much more, faster, bigger and sustainable,” Mafico said.

She stressed that peace and development remain inseparable, and UNFPA will continue supporting women-led and youth-led organisations to promote peacebuilding, social cohesion and government-led coordination on gender-based violence response.

The Deputy Governor, Sam Ode, who received the items on behalf of the Governor, Hyacinth Alia, thanked UNFPA and the Government of Japan for the intervention, saying that the donation was timely and critical to improving maternal and newborn healthcare services in the state.

“We are very grateful to UNFPA and the Government of Japan for this donation of Inter-Agency Reproductive Health Kits,” said Dr. Mukhida.

“This intervention will promote maternal and newborn health as well as sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence response services in Benue,” he said.

He assured the donors that the state government would ensure transparent distribution of the supply.

“We assured you yesterday that all these donations will be utilized in full. We will keep a close eye on them to make sure they reach the people who need them. We treasure the partnership and will strive to keep it for the good of our people,” he added.

Governor Alia also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening collaborations that will improve healthcare delivery and assist vulnerable communities across the state.

He paid tribute to UNFPA and the Government of Japan for their sustained support to efforts to address challenges to maternal health, gender-based violence and the humanitarian needs of internally displaced persons.

The governor also welcomed the Japan-funded initiative on digital literacy, economic empowerment, reproductive health services and prevention of gender-based violence, saying it was in line with the vision of sustainable and people-centred development of his administration.