By Christiana Babayo

The Taraba State Government has unveiled the Taraba Branded Sack Project, an initiative designed to improve the packaging, marketing, and global competitiveness of the state’s agricultural products.

Speaking at the launch, the Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Industry, Hon. Peter George, said the branded sacks would not only give Taraba’s farm produce a unique identity but also boost the state’s credibility in both local and international markets.

He stressed that the initiative would safeguard farmers from adulteration of produce, warning that those who attempt to compromise quality standards would face strict penalties.

The project has already attracted strong backing from stakeholders, including local government chairmen, traditional rulers, and community leaders, who pledged to support its rollout across the state.

According to the commissioner, the branded sacks will serve as a mark of authenticity and quality assurance, thereby opening wider market opportunities for farmers while enhancing the state’s revenue base.

With agriculture remaining a key driver of Taraba’s economy, the initiative is seen as a major step towards positioning the state as a leading hub for premium farm produce in Nigeria.

Stakeholders also noted that the project would promote sustainability, curb sharp practices in the agricultural value chain, and uplift the livelihoods of farming communities.

By setting new standards in packaging and branding, the Taraba State Government hopes to strengthen its foothold in agricultural exports and accelerate economic growth.

By Mohammed Tikka.

The Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with development partners, has organized a one-day media orientation workshop in Jalingo ahead of the statewide measles–rubella vaccination campaign.

The workshop brought together the 16 local government chairmen, health officials, and other key stakeholders.

The main purpose was to equip the media and community leaders with the right information to create awareness and mobilize residents for the success of the exercise.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Tukura Nuhu Nyigwa, stressed that the media and local government leaders have a crucial role to play in taking the message to every community.

He noted that with collective effort, the campaign will achieve its goal of protecting children and saving lives.

The vaccination campaign, scheduled for October 18 to 27, will target over 1.6 million children between the ages of 9 months and 14 years across the state.

It will also introduce the new measles–rubella vaccine, which provides stronger protection compared to the old single measles vaccine.

Speaking on behalf of the World Health Organization, Dr. Emmanuel described the campaign as Nigeria’s largest ever, covering nearly half of the country’s population.

He urged local government leaders to give their utmost support and called on the media to help reach parents in both urban centers and hard-to-reach communities.

Health experts at the meeting reminded participants that Nigeria ranks second after the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa for measles cases, accounting for about 54 percent of reported cases on the continent. They emphasized the urgency of the campaign in curbing further outbreaks.

The measles–rubella vaccine, already in use in many countries, is recommended by the World Health Organization as a safe and effective way to prevent the disease.

While measles can cause severe complications like pneumonia and brain infection, rubella poses serious risks for unborn babies if contracted by pregnant women.

The workshop ended with a united call to action: the media should amplify the message, local leaders should support the process, and parents should ensure their children are vaccinated, because every child deserves protection.

By Christiana Babayo.

In a bid to boost healthcare delivery, the Taraba State University Clinic has recently upgraded its services, introducing some improvements designed to enhance patient care and outcomes.

The Principal Medical Officer of the University, Dr. Isaiah Hunuato, who disclosed this in an interview, highlighted some of these improvements to include surgical procedures, midwifery, and increased manpower to cater for the health needs of patients.

This development, according to him, is expected to have far-reaching benefits for students, staff, and the wider community, and underscores the university’s commitment to promoting health and wellbeing.

Hunuato who assumed office at the school clinic five months ago, noted that more than 20 surgeries have been successfully carried out within the period under review.

“Before now, there was nothing like surgery being done here. But for the time I’ve been here, we have performed over 20 surgeries, and the good thing is that for students, it is completely free, while the staff pay a little percentage or meager amount just to cover the consumables needed at the theater.”

“We are offering more services now, and we have more hands to attend to students and staff. I am here, and we have two corper doctors and other healthcare providers available to attend to our patients, which was not obtainable before.

“When I came here, I had the intention of bringing new innovations. We have been able to expand some of the services we render here to the people outside the university, even though it is not on an official basis. But with time, we will do it in an official way by inviting the Commissioner of Health and other health stakeholders to join us at the University and declare it officially open.” He said.

On the issue of funding, the PMO explained that every health institution requires much funding to function effectively; however, the funds raised by the clinic through the Community-Based Social Health Insurance program are grossly inadequate, hence the need to restrategize and look at alternative means of funding.

“No facility enjoys full funding, even in teaching hospitals. For us here, we have CBship, where a thousand naira is deducted from some staff, which we use to buy drugs and do some minor things, but that money is grossly inadequate. Going forward, we intend to adopt new measures, which we will discuss with the Vice Chancellor.”

“Funding can also come from government, well-meaning individuals, or organizations; we have no issues with that. We just need the system to work for the good of our patients.” Hunuato noted.

He also revealed that plans are underway for an expansion of the clinic infrastructure, and the school management is already reviewing the proposal they sent on the expansion plans.

 By Jethro Yerga, Jalingo

 The Community Development Service Platform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), through its Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) program, has provided free medical care to over two million people across the thirty six states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Director General, NYSC Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim disclosed this in Jalingo during the flag off of the HIRD program at Wuro Sembe Community of Jalingo Local Government, Taraba State.

The Brigadier General who was represented by the state coordinator Mr. Anthony Nzoka stated that in addition to free treatment of patients, the HIRD medical outreach with the support of partners, had donated over three hundred wheel chairs, eye glasses and other medical consumables to patients free of charge.

He noted that the program which has been in operation since 2014, also goes along with sensitization of community members on disease prevention and care.

According to him, the 2021 HIRD centrally coordinated medical outreach with the theme Health is Wealth for Advancement was taking place simultaneously in all states of the federation and the federal capital Territory and would last for one week.

The Brigadier General noted that each NYSC State Secretariat would mobilize the corps medical Team to conduct follow up outreach on quarterly bases with a view to increasing access for the benefitting communities.

While appreciating the impacts NYSC has made on the general wellbeing of the people in the country, the coordinator said the health intervention of NYSC Scheme through the HIRD and other platforms has made enormous impact such as contribution to the improvement of reproductive health, reduction of maternal and infant mortality as well as maintenance and improvement of health infrastructure.

The state coordinator, Mr. Tony Nzoka in his speech, revealed that Taraba State NYSC Secretariat had already mobilized Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses and other medical personnel to provide consultancy, testing, screening and other health services to members of the Wuro Sembe community in particular and Taraba State in general.

He said the choice of Wuro Sembe was informed by the fact that it is a densely populated agrarian rural community in Jalingo LGA

Nzoka noted that the program resonates with the vision of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Taraba State Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku to take health care services to the door steps of rural indigents through the special model of mobile health clinic as an avenue to bring the dividends of democracy and good governance to the grass root.

The coordinator called on residents of Wuro Sembe in particular and Taraba State in general to make good use of the opportunity and access free and quality health care services provided by corps health professionals during the exercise.

Earlier in his good will message, the chairman, Jalingo LGA Hon. Abdulnasir Bobboji commended the NYSC on the initiative, describing it as a veritable means of bridging gaps in health care delivery especially for rural indigent dwellers who find it difficult to access regular quality health care services.

He also reiterated his call for the continuation of the NYSC, lauding the numerous achievements of the scheme through community development in various sectors over the years.

Highlights of the program were a rally held to create awareness on the outreach as well as a health sensitization by corps doctors to beneficiaries.

By Jethro Yerga, Jalingo 

Muwanshat College of Health Science and Technology (MUCOHSAT) Jalingo, a newly established institution in Taraba State has matriculated 317 students for the 2020/2021 academic session. The maiden convocation which held at the premises of the college was graced by highly placed individuals in the state as well as students and parents of the matriculated students.

Addressing the newly matriculated students and the mammoth crowd that turned out for the maiden matriculation shortly after the matriculation oath was administered by BL Maihanchi Esq, the proprietor of the college Alh. Umaru Yola, congratulated the students for successfully securing admission in to the institution.

He said he was motivated to establish the college following the advocacy by some patriotic and well-meaning Tarabans who persuaded him to establish the college for the purpose of training adequate and qualified middle Health Care manpower to bridge the gap created by in adequate Health Care personnel in Taraba State and the nation at large.

Alh. Yola said the institution was established in 2017. It was registered with CAC in the same year and had commenced academic programs in 2019. Since then, it had been striving hard to be a center of academic excellence for training qualified Health Care workforce in the state and the nation at large.

While expressing his readiness to take the school to higher level, the proprietor said “I envision a college of Health Science and Technology that is first among it equals, most preferred, most efficient, most determine, most reliable, most qualitative and conducive for effective learning. A college that will be a center of excellence in the production of competitive middle Health Care personnel using state –of-art Technology.”

In his speech at the occasion, the second substantive provost of the institution, Alh. Musa Adamu, noted that 41 students out of the 317 are admitted into National Diploma in Computer Science, 158 students into Diploma in Community Health (CHEW), 100 students are admitted into Certificate Course in Community Health (JCHEW) and 18 students are into professional Diploma in Health Information Management.

He said the college commenced its academic programs since 2019 with three fully accredited programs namely; Diploma in community health (chew), Certificate in community Health (Jchew) and National Diploma in Computer Science.

The provost who was ably represented by the Director General of TACA, Dr. Garba Danjuma, said the college had also secured accreditation to commence professional Diploma in Pharmacy Technician in 2021 and is working towards securing additional accreditation in medical lab Science, Diploma in Dental Science and Diploma in Public Health among others. He enjoined the students to be regular in attendance at their lectures, pay all prescribed fees on time, carry out all assignments and shun all deviant behaviors that could exposed them to danger so that they would remain a source of pride to their families, state and the nation at large. The provost further appreciated the contributions of the proprietor of the college, Alh. Umaru Yola, Alh. Yusuf Kunini, Dr. Danjuma Garba, Alh. Safiyanu Mailanchi and Mal Bello Ali as well as all the management staff of the college for their immense contribution in the making of the college.

In his comment, the speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly, Hon. Albasu Kunini who was represented by his Chief of Staff of Mr. Iliya Sukoje Bukoje, he was pleased with the institution and attributed the speedy pace of development in the institution to the foresight of the proprietor and expressed hope that it would soon turn to University of Health Science and Technology.

In their separate goodwill messages, the member representing Jalingo 1, Hon. Yahuza Abubakar, and the representative of the Vice Chancellor, Taraba State University, all appreciated the foresight of the proprietor, Alh. Umaru Yola, for establishing the institution.They congratulated the students and advised them to make a proper use of the opportunity given to them, especially that certificates are given to graduates not only base on their academic performance but also on character.

Taraba State University Vice Chancellor further pledged that students who performed well at the institution would be considered for Direct Entry in to his institution during admission.