Reproductive health service will soon enjoy accelerated boost as UNICEF with support from Global Affairs Canada donate 45 motorcycles to Bauchi State Government to improve accessibility to rural areas.
The support, according to the donors, will enable health workers to provide services to underserved populations, particularly those living in remote communities and hard-to-reach areas who are currently facing significant challenges in accessing basic health services.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony, the Chief of Field Office Bauchi, Dr. Nazhat Rafique, explained that the initiative was designed to reach remote areas to ensure that vulnerable children benefit from essential health services including immunization to address the issue of zero-dose cases, saying “If they cannot reach us, then it is our responsibility to reach them”.
She reminded stakeholders that immunization serves as a key entry point for delivering integrated healthcare services especially for zero-dose children and those who have never received any vaccines, adding that thousands of such children exist in Bauchi State.
Dr. Rafique expressed concern over the prevalence of early marriage in Bauchi State and its implication for the health of young mothers and their children, noting that, “While efforts must continue to address early marriage, it is equally important to ensure that those already affected receive quality health care.”
She further highlighted that maternal and newborn mortality rates remain alarmingly high in Nigeria, particularly in the North East, and therefore stressed the need for a more integrated and inclusive healthcare approach.
Responding while receiving the motorcycles, Bauchi state commissioner for health and social welfare Dr Sani Mohammed Dambam reaffirmed government’s commitment to improving maternal and Child health through continuous collaboration with development partners noting that government had expanded it’s pre-service health scheme and is introducing a new salary package for health Workers.
Dr Dambam expressed hope that the new motorcycles will help improve access to health services in Bauchi’s most remote areas making it easier for healthcare teams to reach children in need of immunization, as two motorcycles will be allocated to each of the 20 LGAs.
In his remarks the health specialist for UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office Dr Oluseyi Olusunde acknowledged the concerning indicators surrounding maternal and Child Health in the North east Region and Hoped that the motorcycles would help mitigate these challenges by improving service delivery particularly to boost immunisation coverage.