Bauchi govt inaugurates taskforce on reducing maternal, neonatal mortality rate

…approves N872m as counterpart funding for health basket activities

The Bauchi State Government has constituted and inaugurated a taskforce on maternal and neonatal mortality reduction as part of its efforts to promote safe motherhood in the state. The initiative aims to improve healthcare access and services, particularly for expectant mothers and newborns.

The taskforce was officially inaugurated by the Bauchi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Sani Mohammed Dambam, on Friday at the conclusion of a five-day implementation design workshop on the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) held in Bauchi.

During the inauguration, Dr Dambam charged the taskforce with the responsibility of inspecting health facilities across the state, particularly Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), to ensure the provision of quality healthcare services to patients.

“We are grateful to our brand-new National Health Heroes who have just joined us. It is my pleasure to be part and parcel of this important meeting and training from the beginning to the end. Although I was not fully on ground, I was aptly updated about the activities of the workshop,” he stated.

He reminded the taskforce members that their work was just beginning, stressing that the real task lay in field implementation rather than office deliberations.

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“Our mothers and the society are eagerly waiting for us to implement this laudable programme that will improve the health and well-being of the good people of Bauchi State and the nation in general. I am very glad we have leaders who are very committed and have the interest of the people at heart under the leadership of the Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir,” he added.

Dr Dambam reiterated that healthcare has remained a top priority since the inception of the current administration in 2019. He announced that the Governor had approved the sum of N872 million as counterpart funding for the Healthcare Basket Fund to further strengthen healthcare delivery.

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“It is gratifying to know that, aside from the initiatives mentioned earlier, the Governor has graciously approved the sum of N872 million as counterpart funding for the Healthcare Basket Fund,” he stated.

“In fact, Bauchi State is the sole donor for this year’s Basket Fund activities, and we have given the marching order. Any moment from now, the money will be deposited into the Basket Fund account. We are very glad. We also appeal to our partners, particularly Aliko Dangote and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to consider rolling out the budget for the next five years.”

He emphasised that this was necessary as the project was scheduled to end this year. However, Bauchi State has consistently met its counterpart funding obligations.

“We are the only state that has been on record. We are very optimistic that our partners are impressed with the performance and commitment of the state government under the leadership of the Governor,” he said.

Dr Dambam expressed confidence that the MAMII programme would be another success story, similar to previous healthcare initiatives. He assured that it would not be a standalone project but would instead be integrated with existing healthcare programmes targeting maternal and child health and mortality reduction.

In response, Aliko Dangote and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation commended the Bauchi State Government for inaugurating the Taskforce, noting that it was a timely intervention aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal mortality while improving mother and child health.

A representative of the John Hopkins Programme for International Education in Gynaecology and Obstetrics (JHPIEGO) also praised the introduction of the MAMII programme, stating that it would significantly help combat high maternal and neonatal mortality rates across the country.

Meanwhile, eleven Local Government Areas in Bauchi State have been selected for the implementation of the Nigeria Healthcare Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) project under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII). The project is being implemented through the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.