From the office of the SSA communication to Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of Bauchi State.
Published by Alphapressmedia
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has reaffirmed his administration’s strong commitment to maternal and child health, announcing investments exceeding ₦1.8 billion in healthcare financing while commending Nutrition International for its impactful partnership in the state.The Governor made this known while receiving a delegation from Nutrition International led by its Country Director, Dr. Osita Okonkwo, during a courtesy visit at the Government House, Bauchi.Massive Financial Commitment to Strengthen HealthcareGovernor Bala Mohammed disclosed that Bauchi State has paid over ₦800 million as counterpart funding for key health interventions aimed at strengthening service delivery across the state.In addition:The state provided ₦300 million as counterpart funding to UNICEF to support children’s nutrition programmes, including the procurement of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition.Over ₦700 million has been committed to the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).Strategic partnerships are ongoing to scale up the provision of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for pregnant women.The Governor emphasized that beyond financial investment, his administration continues to construct and renovate Primary Healthcare Centres across the state to expand access and improve quality of care.“We are not just funding programmes; we are building sustainable systems that will protect mothers and give every child in Bauchi a healthy start to life,” the Governor stated.MMS Implementation Research Records Strong OutcomesEarlier, Dr. Osita Okonkwo revealed that the Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) Implementation Research Project conducted in Bauchi State has produced measurable and encouraging results.The research, implemented in partnership with the State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the State Primary Health Care Agency, was designed to generate practical evidence on how best to introduce and scale MMS through routine antenatal care services.Key Achievements:Development of training manuals and counselling guidesCreation of operational and logistics management toolsStrengthening of supply chain systemsImproved capacity of frontline health workersSignificantly, tools developed from the Bauchi research have now been adopted at the national level by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to guide the nationwide rollout of MMS.Improved Pregnancy and Birth OutcomesAccording to Dr. Okonkwo, the research confirmed that Multiple Micronutrient Supplements provide greater benefits compared to standard iron and folic acid supplementation.The study recorded reductions in:Low birth weightPreterm birthsBabies born small for gestational ageNewborn mortality risksThe project also increased awareness and uptake of maternal nutrition services among pregnant women in participating local government areas.Toward Statewide Scale-Up and Deeper CollaborationWith the success of the pilot phase, focus is now shifting toward statewide scale-up of MMS through strengthened antenatal care platforms.Future collaboration will prioritize:Improving quality of health worker trainingStrengthening service delivery in health facilitiesEnhancing logistics and supply chain systemsExpanding child survival interventions such as Vitamin A supplementationThe partnership underscores Bauchi State’s growing reputation as a reform-driven subnational government investing strategically in evidence-based health interventions.With strong political will, sustained financing, and development collaboration, Bauchi is positioning itself as a leader in maternal and child nutrition reform in Nigeria.
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