Bauchi State Commissioner of Health, Dr Sani Mohammed Dambam, has reiterated the government’s commitment to partnering with international development organisations, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC), to improve the state’s health indices.
The assertion was made by the Commissioner while speaking at a two-day meeting and work plan development for a newly introduced programme aimed at improving the health and nutrition status of women and children in Bauchi State.
The Commissioner particularly appreciated Global Affairs Canada (GAC) for selecting Bauchi as one of the three states in the country to benefit from the initiative to improve the health and nutrition of women, adolescents, and children.
He noted that the intervention was timely, particularly in enhancing the health of adolescent girls and children under the age of five.
Dr Sani Mohammed Dambam reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to ensuring the successful implementation of the intervention, stating that the government would develop templates to guide its execution.
He also disclosed that the state government has prioritised healthcare by approving N872 million in counterpart funding for the Primary Healthcare Basket for the 2025 fiscal year.
He assured that relevant state agencies would actively participate in the successful implementation of the programme for the overall development of the state’s reproductive health system.
Also speaking, Executive Chairman of the State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, stressed that UNICEF and WHO are the two most outstanding international partners supporting the thriving health sector in Bauchi State.
He noted that following the suspension of USAID-funded activities in the state, attention has shifted to alternative funding sources for health-related initiatives, highlighting UNICEF and WHO’s invaluable contributions.
Regarding the new programme, he stated that it comes at a crucial time when the government is seeking the best ways to mitigate the gap left by USAID’s suspension.
He assured that the Board, in collaboration with stakeholders and relevant agencies, would work towards ensuring smooth implementation.
Speaking on behalf of the UNICEF Nigeria Country Office, Health Specialist Dr Fatima Cheshi stated that the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada, is funding the programme, while UNICEF is providing technical support and procurement assistance.
She explained that the initiative is designed to help Bauchi State build capacity across service delivery and coordination platforms for sexual and reproductive health, particularly among adolescent girls, a population that has long been neglected.
She further outlined the objectives of the engagement meeting, which include:
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Identifying strategic alignment with ongoing initiatives and project strategies,
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Engaging with state stakeholders to develop work plans for 2025,
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Establishing an M&E framework and supply plan.
Dr Cheshi noted that the key focus of the initiative is adolescent health, a group that often receives less priority in national healthcare programmes.
She explained, “The adolescent group has been known to contribute significantly to maternal health statistics in Nigeria, particularly in Bauchi State. This intervention and support will help address that gap.”
She further stated, “Many times, existing initiatives focus on newborns and children under five, while adolescents receive little attention until they appear at hospitals pregnant, either as adults or teenagers. The reality is that adolescents are neglected, and there are no clear programmes catering to their needs. This initiative aims to provide structured access to healthcare services for this group.”
The UNICEF Health Officer added that the primary stakeholders in the initiative are the governments of the three selected states. She stated that the existing government health structures and systems in the three states would serve as the platforms for implementation.
She said, “We aim to leverage existing platforms for delivering high-impact, gender-responsive interventions.”
According to her, the implementation platforms will include:
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Primary healthcare centres,
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Selected secondary healthcare facilities,
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Community-based coordinating platforms for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH) services.
She noted that the grant aligns with Nigeria’s Sector-Wide Approach Programming (SWAP), which focuses on improving maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes.
It is worth recalling that UNICEF had received a CA$15 million grant from Global Affairs Canada to improve maternal and child health in Kebbi, Kaduna, and Bauchi States.
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