The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has donated three oxygen concentrators to Yariman Bakura Specialists Hospital, Gusau, Zamfara, to complement the government’s efforts in saving the lives of newborn babies.
Mr. Isah Ibrahim of UNICEF’s Sokoto Field Office disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Gusau.
“On behalf of the Chief of the Sokoto Field Office, UNICEF, Mr Michael Juma, I wish to formally hand over three oxygen concentrators donated by UNICEF to the Medical Director of Yarima Bakura Specialist Hospital (YBSH) specifically for Special Care Newborn Unit of the facility,” Ibrahim said in the statement.
“We noticed a gross shortage of this equipment in this facility, hence the decision to make the donation to ensure that more lives of newborn children are saved.
“We observed that despite a high turnout of clients to deliver in this facility, the SNCU doesn’t have enough equipment to support newborn children with oxygen challenges. “In the facility, we found two or three children sharing one oxygen concentrator,” he added.
He also commended the state government for expanding the specialist hospital with the modern health care equipment, including the construction of a new Special Newborn Care Unit.
Ibrahim further appealed to the management of the facility to make efficient utilisation of the oxygen concentrators for the good and saving of newborn children.
“UNICEF also appreciates the state government for the approval of recruiting additional medical doctors to the facility aimed to improve the needs and timely services expected from the medical team to the clients,” he added.
Receiving the items, the medical director of the hospital, Dr Aminu Nahuche, thanked UNICEF for the gesture, describing it as timely.
“We appreciate UNICEF for its timely intervention, this will go a long way in saving and promoting the lives of newborn children,” he said, and promised to ensure judicious utilisation of the equipment.
