EVA Partners UNFPA, Benue State Government To Launch Health Plan On Young People
A Non-Governmental Organization, Education as a Vaccine (EVA), with support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has partnered the Benue State Ministry of Health, to launch a 5-Year Action Plan for Advancing the Health and Development of Adolescents and Young People in Benue State.
EVA, established in year 2000 is focused on improving the health and development of children and young people.
Speaking at the event which held recently at the Kimbis Internaitonal in Makurdi, Benue State, Mr. Lanre Alabi, a Monitoring and Evaluation Expert with the UNFPA, applauded Benue State Government and other coordinating organizations for developing a plan that will provide opportunities for adolescents and young people to access health services.
Alabi, in his remarks stressed that the primary function of the UNFPA is to ensure that every birth is safe and every young person’s potential in Benue State is fulfilled. He further mentioned that youths constitute 33% of Benue State population but faced with various challenges ranging from HIV/AIDS, STIs, unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortions and among others.
The Monitoring and Evaluation expert urged the Benue State Government to properly invest into the youths to negate them from constituting burden. He also charged development partners not to abandon the plan implementation to the government, but ensure it is fully implemented upon which an assessment on the plan implementation would be made in 2017 by UNFPA.
Dr. Mrs. Betty Agber, Director, Administration and Supply with the Benue State Ministry of Health, who officially launched the Advancing Health and Development Plan expressed satisfaction with the document.
Agber, pledging the state’s ministry of health commitment to respond to issues on Adolescent and young people, also waste no time in calling other development partners and NGOs to key into the plan by ensuring its full implementation.
At the end of the event, 62 copies of the plan were distributed to participants. Among them were, Dr. Terver Chieshe, Reproductive Health Coordinator with Benue State Ministry of Health; Mr. Yamsa S.G.S, Director, Benue state Planning Commission, and among others.
