Speeches

Ambassador John Campbell
Remarks
Inspection of Yelwa Domiciliary Health Clinic and Presentation of Awards to Clients

April 6, 2006, 9:00 a.m.
Bauchi

Protocols

Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is an honor to be here today.

Your Excellency, thank you for this opportunity to celebrate our ongoing collaboration.

It has been my privilege this week to celebrate the valued partnership between the people of Bauchi State and the people of America.

The Yelwa Domiciliary Community Health Center is yet another visible symbol of this mutually rewarding relationship.

As I look around today, I see mothers and fathers concerned about protecting the health and well-being of their families.

What better place to work together than in community health facilities where our families come to seek health care?

What better focus than improving health care at the community level?

Improved knowledge and practice in child survival, family health and birth-spacing saves the lives of our mothers and children.

And so, I believe that the Bauchi and United States governments have chosen well to collaborate in improving the quality of the lives of Nigerian families.

The local community plays an important role in these efforts.

The Northern peoples of Nigeria have long understood the importance of working on the community level.

As the Hausa proverb says: "One person cannot put a roof over a building."

Distinguished guests, the cooperation of the Yelwa Community in pursuance of healthy living for its members is evident by your presence here today.

Our governments have some history to build on in this partnership.

It goes back to 2001 with the advent of the VISION project, which worked in the local government areas of Alkaleri, Bauchi, Giade, Kirfi, and Tafawa Balewa.

Taking up where the VISION project left off in August of 2004, we continue to work in those five LGAs and in the three additional local government areas of Misau, Mingi, and Zaki.

And now, Your Excellency, please allow me to list some of our collaborative achievements with the assistance of our implementing partner - Community Participation for Action in the Social Sector - more commonly known as COMPASS.

With the Bauchi state government, the United States, through COMPASS, has supported the renovation of eight health facilities and the provision of basic clinical equipment to improve service quality.

We have established and equipped eight local government provided field offices with furnishings, computers and accessories, photocopiers, and generator sets to ensure adequate involvement of local government authority members in programming.

In collaboration with Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC), the COMPASS program has supported the broadcast of weekly episodes of two radio magazine programs in the Hausa language to generate demand for reproductive health and child survival services.

In addition, the COMPASS program has supported the training of 548 health providers in various aspects of reproductive health and improved quality of care.

We have improved institutional capacity of three non-governmental organizations through grants to implement activities in reproductive health and child survival in communities in Bauchi State.

And we are working hand-in-hand with the government of Bauchi State and other partners to plan for and support the polio eradication initiative and routine immunization activities.

Your Excellency, distinguished guests and members of the community, I thank you for your admirable and continuing collaboration in this most important area.

Please know that the United States government is very proud to be your partner in this five-year endeavor to improve family health in the communities of Bauchi State.

Thank you.

 

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