The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in partnership with the Government of Japan, has donated a substantial consignment of Inter-Agency Reproductive Health (IARH) kits and essential humanitarian supplies to the Benue State Government.​
The intervention, implemented through the Royal Heritage Health Foundation, is strategically targeted to benefit more than 100,000 vulnerable individuals across the state.
The primary beneficiaries include internally displaced persons (IDPs), as well as women and girls severely impacted by ongoing humanitarian challenges in the region.
​Speaking at the official handover ceremony held at the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (BENSEMA) headquarters in Makurdi, the UNFPA Resident Representative in Nigeria, Muriel Mafico, emphasized that the donation extends far beyond physical medical provisions.​
“The kits we are handing over today will benefit over 100,000 people across Benue State,” Mafico stated. “But beyond the supplies, we are investing in people because supplies alone will not save lives unless health workers are properly trained.
“​To ensure long-term sustainability, Mafico announced an upcoming collaboration with the Benue State College of Nursing Sciences. The initiative will focus on building clinical capacity for local doctors, nurses, and midwives.
Furthermore, the UNFPA will support the establishment of dedicated safe spaces and youth-friendly centers within IDP camps to optimize responses to gender-based violence (GBV).
​Recognizing that systemic vulnerability requires multifaceted solutions, the UNFPA revealed plans to invest directly in the economic futures of Benue’s youth and women.
The agency will fund targeted training programs in digital literacy and digital marketing to cultivate self-reliance and financial resilience.​”We have seen today that our support in Benue is making a difference.
It is igniting hope and transforming lives one person at a time,” Mafico added, while noting that peace, stability, and development remain entirely inseparable.​Receiving the humanitarian assets on behalf of Governor Hyacinth Alia, the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Sam Ode, expressed profound gratitude to both the UNFPA and the Government of Japan.
He described the arrival of the reproductive health kits as an incredibly timely intervention for the state’s healthcare system.​”This intervention will strengthen maternal and newborn health as well as sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence response services in Benue,” Ode remarked.​
Addressing logistics and distribution, the Deputy Governor explicitly assured international partners that the state would maintain a strict framework of transparency.
“These donations will be fully utilized. We will track them carefully to ensure they reach the intended beneficiaries. We value this partnership and remain committed to sustaining it for the benefit of our people.
“​Governor Alia’s administration reiterated its broader commitment to reinforcing external alliances that align with its vision of people-centered, sustainable development, particularly in addressing the acute humanitarian needs of the state’s displaced populations.
