The Team Leader of Inclusive Growth at the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Dr. Robert Asogwa, has urged the Anambra government to increase the counterpart funding for its health programmes.

Asogwa made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the end of a workshop to design a framework for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 5 in the state.

“Not much has been achieved in the MDGs 5 in the state in spite of the fact that we are at the end point of the programme and transiting to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“The challenges of child and maternal mortality, malaria and other health issues have not been resolved.

“We want the state government to increase the funding for the health sector and encourage home-grown strategies to help attain the health goals of the MDGs.

“More doctors should be recruited such that the state government can boast of a doctor per village.”

He expressed the hope that the workshop participants, made up of consultants and officials from various health departments, would be able to itemise methods and strategies for attaining the MDGs in the health sector.

“Our interest at UNDP is that nobody is left behind in the health sector.”

The MDG 5 focuses on reducing maternal mortality and achieving universal access to reproductive health. (NAN)

•Photo shows Gov. Obiano