This is in addition to the previous 50-bed capacity operated in the centre.
An MSF Therapeutic Feeding Programme is intended to reduce the mortality rate of severely malnourished individuals within the entire affected population, including children, adolescents, the elderly and adults.
The organisation also inducted 30 Community Health Extension workers in the MSF academy training on a nine-month programme to improve the quality of healthcare service delivery in the state.
The PUNCH reports that the inductees will be deployed to the primary health centres owned by the state Ministry of Health when they graduate from the programme.
Highlighting the interventions of the organisation during the commissioning of the ITFC and induction on Thursday, the MSF project coordinator, Hussein Ismail, said since the beginning of the year till September, MSF had conducted 50,759 consultations in Unguwa Uku PHC, and Tudun Fulani PHC in the state.
Ismail noted that 40 per cent of the number (20,304) were children under five years of age.
He said, “In maternal and child health PHC, we have an antenatal consultation of 16,943; for postnatal consultation, we have had 3,503; we have 1,714 family planning consultations. Since the beginning of the year until the end of September, we have conducted 1,937 deliveries.
“In terms of the nutrition programme, we are currently running two nutrition activities which are the outpatient care feeding centre and the inpatient therapeutic feeding centre which targets children who are moderately and severely malnourished.
“For Ambulatory Therapeutic Feeding Centre, since the beginning of the year till September, we have had 16,683 moderately-malnourished consultations, 86 per cent of this number have been cured.
“ITFC, we have 1,353 admissions of severely malnourished cases that we have managed, the cure rate was 88 per cent, and the mortality rate for under five was less than one per cent. We have also contributed to the Unguwa Uku facility and it is now in the position to run blood screening and transfusion which is not common in many PHCs. Ngwa Uku nutrition programme runs full nutrition activities.”
Ismail advocated the decentralisation of nutrition activities to all PHC facilities in the state to improve access and proximity for the patients.
Adding, he said the MSF academy programme initiated in 2022 has a number of CHEWs who were enrolled, trained and graduated in nine months.
He noted that the CHEWs have been deployed in MSF-supported facilities in the OPDs of Unguwa Uku PHC, and Tudun Fulani PHC.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, commended the MSF for its unwavering commitment to improving healthcare services in the country.
Pate, who was represented by Haruna Bebeji said the completed ICU-ITFC at Unguwa Uku PHC “is a testament to the dedication and passion of MSF in providing quality healthcare to those in need. This project, which we are gathered here to celebrate, is nothing short of a gigantic achievement. It truly embodies the spirit of collaboration for a shared vision of better healthcare.
“The FMoH and SW has always sought to improve healthcare delivery in Nigeria, and this project by MSF seamlessly complements our efforts. Together, we can enhance the accessibility and quality of healthcare services, particularly in underserved communities like Unguwa Uku Cikin Gari.
“It is remarkable to witness the impact this project will have on the lives of the people in this local community. The ICU-ITFC will provide critical care facilities that were previously unavailable, ensuring that patients in need of intensive care receive prompt and efficient treatment. This development will undeniably save lives and support the overall health infrastructure in our state.”
Also speaking, the Director General of Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board, Dr. Nasir Mohammed, said MSF has been supportive of the state government.
“We are grateful to MSF for this support given to Kano State. We are also happy with the academy initiative because this is a unique opportunity for us and the inductees.
“To the inductees, I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity and come out better after the training.”
Mohammed said the state government is working towards functional PHCs in each political ward.
