UNICEF Trains Bayelsa LG Workers On Harmonized Approach To Cash Transfer
2 min read
John ODHE, Yenagoa
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has trained Local Government health workers in Bayelsa state on what it termed Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfer (HACT).
The two-day training workshop which held at Domaris Hotel in Yenagoa, the state capital, drew participants from all the eight local government areas of the state.
The training was organized for Directors of Primary Health Care officers, Heads of Departments (HoDs) Health, heads of Department of Account, Programme Officers and Local Routine Immunization Officers.
According to UNICEF officials, it was a primary health care system strengthening programme for LGA workers to build their capacities in the implementation of funds being provided by UNICEF and her donor partners for primary health care delivery projects in the state.
Speaking to newsmen during the event, a health specialist working with UNICEF Rivers State Field Office, Dr. Eghe Abe noted that the event was part of the implementation of primary health care system strengthening activities in the state in line with a Memorandum of Understanding signed by UNICEF and its partner, Gavi and the Bayelsa state government.
His words: “one of the activities is to see how we can improve outcomes on women and children’s health; and we know that the primary health care centres being the nearest to the people is the sure way of getting it right.
“This training that you have just witnessed here is to build capacity of the LGA team made up of the Directors of primary health care, the department of accounts and some of the programme officers, the routine immunization officers to understand and appreciate the financial systems that are needed to make this project work.
“It is a project that, if well implemented with support of all, it will do a lot to improve the lots of the children and will improve the indices in the state. With the supports of the LGAs as well as the communities, I think we will succeed and gain a lot for the children and women of the state.”
Abe hinted that if the UNICEF funded primary health care delivery projected is well implemented, it would attract improved funding from the international agency.
Some of the participants who spoke to TNN commended UNICEF for contributing to primary health care delivery in the state. A participant from Brass local government area and Routine Immunization Officer, Mrs. Ariwabai Owaba said the programme had improved her capacity in the implementation of UNICEF sponsored projects in her LGA.