Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has approved the release of a N200 million counterpart fund for the prevention and treatment of women and children battling malnutrition.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mallam Ibrahim Kaula, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Katsina on Tuesday.

According to Mr Kaula, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Bishir Gambo, who made the disclosure, said it was part of their counterpart fund for UNICEF intervention programmes.

He explained that the fund was for the procurement of nutrition commodities for the prevention and treatment of malnutrition among children and pregnant women.

According to the commissioner, the approval of the fund was aimed at reducing maternal, infant and child illnesses and deaths.

“This is in fulfilment of Governor Radda’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of the people of Katsina State, through health promotion and disease prevention activities as encapsulated in his ‘Building Your Future’ strategic blueprint.”

Meanwhile, the governor has also approved the commencement of the postgraduate residency training for doctors in two specialist hospitals in the state.

“The training is in collaboration with the National and West African Postgraduate Medical Colleges, among others.

“This is aimed at producing medical consultants, thereby addressing the shortage of medical specialists and encouraging the retention of medical doctors in the state,” he said. 

(NAN)