By joshua 
International Day of the Girl -Child: Nasarawa Govt urges partnership to end gender discrimination
From Esther Akaa, Lafia
Nasarawa State Government has called for stakeholders’ collaboration to protect the Girl-Child against Sexual predators and gender discrimination as the world commemorates the International Day of the Girl -Child.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Gaza Gwamna made the call during a press conference held on Friday to mark the International Day of the Girl -Child, World Rabies day, World Heart Day and World Mental Health Day in Lafia.
Dr Gwamna stated that parents and other stakeholders must take actions aimed at protecting the Girl-Child against Sexual abuse and prioritise their reproductive health in order to help them achieve their visions amidst climate change challenges.
He said that the theme of this year’s International Day of the Girl -Child which is celebrated on October 11, ” Girls vision for the future,” conveyed the need for urgent actions towards providing the girls with opportunities to enable them to achieve potentials in the future.
“Today’s generation of girls are propositionally affected by global crisis of Climate change, conflict, poverty, pushbacks and too many girls who are denied of their rights as well as restricted from making their choices and limited future ambitions.
” It is therefore worthwhile to note that girls are not only courageous in the face of crisis but hopeful for the future.
” We have had women attaining the the best positions in the world professionally and otherwise. They have proven that they can be more outstanding. That is why internationally, a day is set aside to celebrate the Girl-Child.
” We are encouraged to treat them just as we treat the male children,” he said.
The Commissioner said that the state government was collaborating with relevant organisations to create and implement workable interventions to provide solutions that would bring about progress in the future, which he said would enable girls in the state to attain their potentials.
Speaking on the World Heart Day with the theme: ” Use heart for action” the Commissioner encouraged the public to take care of their hearts to avert cardiovascular diseases .
Dr Gwamna explained that the state government had already keyed into the Federal Government’s ” Project 10 million,” which is aimed at screening residents of all forms of cardiovascular diseases to enable them to know their health status.
The Commissioner equally said that the state government was partnering the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources and the World Health Organisation
as well as Clinton Health Access Initiative (ChaI) to create awareness on Mental Health and Rabies disease as they affect residents of the state.
” The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘It’s time to prioritise mental health in the office’ while that of the 2024 World Rabies Day is ‘ Breaking Rabies boundaries’ There is need to increase awareness to the populace on these issues so as to overcome the challenges that come with them.
He, therefore, called on the media to help the state in disseminating the information to the people of the state for the benefit of all.