The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari (photo), on Tuesday announced the release of $55.5 million to all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for women’s healthcare project.

Buhari, who declared this during the inauguration of the Primary Health Care Centre for Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria at Kuchigoro, in Abuja, said that each of the 36 states and FCT would get $1.5 million. According to him, the provision of quality health care service would change the poor health indices in the country and his administration would fulfill those promises made to the people.

“I am hopeful that our women will no more be dying needlessly during childbirth; our children will no more be dying needlessly as a result of vaccine preventable diseases or common ailment; access to health care will not be limited because of lack of money to pay. I want to assure Nigerians that Government will continue to ensure that great numbers of Nigerians have access to quality basic health care services,” he told the News Agency of Nigeria.

The women quality healthcare initiative is part of the government’s “Saving One Million Lives Initiative’’. This initiative is backed by development partners particularly, the United States Government, the World Bank, the European Union and the Department for International Development.

Anita Fatunji