By Uzairu Dauda Bunga:
Bauchi State has been selected as one of the key beneficiaries of a five-year funding initiative by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), aimed at improving the health and nutrition of women, adolescents, and children.
The initiative, worth five million Canadian dollars, seeks to address critical gaps in sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) and maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services in the state.
During a detailed presentation on the proposed activities, Dr. Fatima Cheshi, a Health Specialist with UNICEF Abuja, emphasized the importance of collecting accurate and quality data to ensure effective implementation of the program.
According to Dr. Cheshi, the initiative will be implemented in Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kebbi States due to persistent challenges such as slow and uneven progress in SRHR and MNCH outcomes, low prioritization and funding for adolescent health and nutrition programs, and weak coordination across sectors.
She noted that the availability and integration of gender-responsive services remain suboptimal in these areas.
Dr. Cheshi encouraged all stakeholders in Bauchi State to collaborate and coordinate effectively in developing a comprehensive work plan that addresses these gaps.
She also highlighted the need to build the capacity of health workers to deliver adolescent-friendly health services.
Dr Cheshi said, key intervention areas under the program include strengthening governance coordination mechanisms, supporting the functionality of state and local government-level coordination platforms, and domesticating relevant health policies.
The UNICEF Health Specialist, said the initiative will also focus on delivering high-impact interventions in maternal and adolescent health, as well as newborn care.
Dr. Cheshi explained that a multisectoral approach is central to achieving the goals of the GAC initiative that include representatives from the Ministry of Health and its agencies, the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), the Ministry of Environment, and other relevant sectors are involved in the planning and execution of the program.
She stressed the urgent need to focus on adolescents, a group that has long been neglected in Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kebbi States, and called for systemic improvements to support their health and well-being.
