ODSG restates resolve to improve children healthcare
Ondo State Government has reiterated the importance of interpreting all its interventions in local languages so as to improve the healthcare of Nigerians, especially mothers and children.
This came to the fore at a stakeholders meeting in collaboration with UNICEF on Facts of Life, held in Akure the Ondo State capital with Commissioners for Information, Permanent Secretaries and Directors of Information in the South West and Edo state in attendance .
Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Yemi Olowolabi said partnership with UNICEF Communication for Development (C4D) unit has impacted positively on quality health delivery in the state.
He said the collaboration had also improved the standard of living of mother and children, leading to remarkable improvement on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) campaigns in the state.
Olowolabi emphasized that the translation of FFL in Yoruba Language would go a long way at reaching a large audience while message will be easily assimilated by the people from the cities down to the grassroots.
The Commissioner noted that the state-owned radio station has been airing the programmes: ‘Facts for Life’ free of charge since the programme was adopted by the state government through the Ministry of Information and Orientation.
Olowolabi expressed optimism that the various interventions by Unicef across the country would enable Nigeria meet up with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)on care for the newly born.
Also speaking, the Chief of UNICEF Akure Field Office, Mr. Tejinder Sandhu, said the stakeholders meeting was aimed at reviewing the progress made on the resolutions to improve healthcare of the people at the last meeting held in Akure on August 14, 2018.
According to him, the translation of the intervention programmes in the local dialect of the people would enhance coverage and change the health-seeking behaviours of the people.
UNICEF Communication for Development Specialist, Mrs Caroline Akosile, mentioned that the meeting also discussed launch of Yoruba FFL as agreed by consensus to break communication barrier among the states.
