By Ibrahim Ibrahim
Jigawa State Government says Children under the age of five who are suffering from pneumonia and other diseases will access free oxcygen therapy.
Director Public Health, state’s ministry of Health Dr.Abdullahi Namadi disclosed in a two days workshop organized by Save the Children, held in Abuja.
The Theme of the workshop is the Role of Media in Tacking Childhood Pneumonia in Nigeria.
He said this followed the state Government’s efforts towards the implementation of National policy on medical Oxygen in the state.
” With the help of INSPIRING Project we have concluded all the necessary plans for the proper implementation of the policy, stalkholders engagement was done and all the necessary information needed for the policy has been agreed on” he said.
” Before now based on country’s policy oxcygen was not considered in a drugs list but the policy now had captured oxcygen as part of the drugs list”
He explained that this means when the policy is fully implemented Children under the age of five and pregnant women will get the oxygen free.
Namadi added that the state ministry of health is also working to include oxcygen as part of drugs list for the state health insurance scheme.
” This means that apart from the children under five and pregnant women also everyone who needed the oxcygen can get it free” he said.
Dr. Adamu Isah, chief of party INSPIRING Project also commended the Jigawa State Government in taking the Pneumonia which the major killer of under five Children in the country.
He however promised to continue collaboration with the Jigawa and Lagos State Government towards the actualization of the medical oxcygen policy in the states.
Dr. Adamu said the Save the Children and the INSPIRING project is supported by GSK to end pneumonia in Jigawa and Lagos.
