…..Flagg off ICHSSA Project 4
By Haruna Usman, Birnin Kebbi
United States Agency for International Development USAID, on Tuesday, flagged off the integrated child health and social services award ICHSSA, in Kebbi state.
Earlier, in his speech, the chief of the party of ICHSSA, Dr. Joseph Iyang said that the USAID-funded programme is being implemented in five states including Kebbi has paid health insurance premiums to 1,308 children in the state through the collaborative agency, Kebbi state healthcare contributory scheme (KECHEMA) to give the children access to basic healthcare services even beyond the five years project.
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According to him, the project is being funded by the United States Agency for International Development and implemented by pro-health International as prime and Catholic Relief Services as a technical partner.
The five-year ICHSSA project embodies social support to orphans and vulnerable persons in society with instant cash transfers of N20,000 naira each to mitigate their suffering, similarly, the project also trains 235 vulnerable women in vocational trades of their choice and gives start-up kits that aim to contribute to local economy and boost their social status for self-reliance ” we have flagged off the ICHSSA 4 project officially today in Kebbi with the incorporation of 1,308 children into health insurance to assist them access basic health services ” he said.
Doctor, Joseph added that the project also seeks to mitigate the impact of HIV in the six implementing states which include Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, etc.
The programme which was held in Birnin Kebbi at the College of Nursing Sciences also featured the presentation of cheques to beneficiaries of cash transfers and start-up kits as empowerment to the selected beneficiaries.
The wife of Kebbi governor, represented by the wife of the deputy governor, Hajia Maryam Umar Tafida thanked them for the support to children and poor women who received start-up kits for self-reliance “We are grateful to USAID for choosing to assist children and women in our state to find their footings amid the economic downturn, we will support and cooperate with you.
Mrs Tafida appealed to USAID to extend the project beyond five years as it will wind up by December to enable people of the state to benefit more from the project.