Edith Wirdze
11 September 2008
The Ministry of Health has received material worth over FCFA 255 million from the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, to improve the quality of life of Cameroonians through the promotion of quality reproductive health services.
The consignment of gifts consists of 7 Hilux pickups worth FCFA 86 million, 4 Prados worth FCFA 34 million, 18 motorbikes worth FCFA 12 million, male and female condoms and an assortment of contraceptives costing some FCFA 72 million.
UNFPA also provided reproductive health kits for caesarean section, delivery, episiotomy and mini-laparotomy kits, traditional birth attendant kits and vacuum extractors worth over FCFA 8 million.
In addition, male and female condoms and an assortment of contraceptives to the tune of FCFA 10 million will were provided as assistance to some 5000 Chadian refugees settled in the Langui camp of North Cameroon.
Meantime, over FCFA 14 million will go to some 60, 000 Central African refugees of the East Province.The assistance is in line with the fulfilment of the strategic interventions mapped out by the Cameroon government and UNFPA for the 5th Country Programme Action Plan, which spans 2008-2012.
The aid is expected to help in repositioning of family planning, regular provision of contraceptives to combat obstetrical fistula, promote of adolescent reproductive health and help in HIV-AIDS prevention as well as the reinforcing and promoting the decentralisation of health care systems.
Handing over the material, the Representative of UNFPA, Dr. Yao Faustin, indicated that the aid has as goal to improve on health problems and curb high maternal mortality and morbidity in Cameroon.
He said because of socio-cultural influences that hinder health improvement, there is the necessity for the promotion of an environment that favours gender equality and equity between the sexes.
Presiding over the ceremony, the Minister of Public Health, André Mama Fouda, lauded the initiative of UNFPA and said the donation was a concretisation of cooperation between the Cameroon government and UNFPA. He promised that the materials will be rapidly put in place and made functional in order to achieve the set objectives.
In the next five years, UNFPA will provide FCFA 7.1 billion as assistance to the Cameroon government including FCFA 2.1 billion as funding from multi-donors and other co-funding sources. UNFPA's 2008 assistance to the government is estimated at FCFA 1.3 billions with FCFA 1 billion destined for the Ministry of Health for reproductive health actions.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The Post. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
