By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has promised stronger support and collaboration with Kano state government on the renewed zeal to eradicate the growing spate of maternal and child mortality in 18 identified Local Governments in Kano.
Dr Karanveer Singh, Officer-in-Charge/Chief of UNICEF Field Office Kano, made the promise during the inauguration of 380 Recruited Skilled Birth Attendants (SBA) and 716 Community Based Health Workers across 18 selected Local Government Areas in Kano State.
The event was held at the Conference Hall of Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board (SPHCMB), on Monday .
Dr. Singh said: “In support of the government’s strong commitment to reducing maternal and child mortality, UNICEF will continue to support the implementation of the maternal, neonatal and child mortality reduction innovation and initiative (MAMII) and the Community-based Health Workers (CBHW) programme across 200 wards in the 18 selected Local Government Areas of Kano state.”
According to him, “UNICEF urges that this programme be sustained across the 18 selected Local Government Areas and beyond, turning the goal of providing adequate community health workers and skilled birth attendants into a reality.”
Dr. Singh congratulated the Kano State Ministry of Health, the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board (SPHCMB), the National Primary Health Development Agency (NPHCDA), the Federal Ministry of Health, and all partners on the inauguration ceremony, describing it as an inroad in the collective fight against maternal and child mortality.
He further stated that the inauguration ceremony marked a historic milestone in Kano State’s journey towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
“By professionalizing, equipping, and digitizing the roles of community-based health workers and skilled birth attendants, these skilled health workers will not just deliver services but they will be delivering hope, dignity, and quality care directly to the doorsteps of communities.
“This initiative reflects a deep commitment to accountability, ensuring that rural and underserved populations receive the same standard of care as urban dwellers.
“UNICEF is honoured and proud to have supported the takeoff of this initiative and commends government and partners for addressing the critical need for adequate remuneration and training of health workers, and for ensuring that these health heroes and heroines are motivated to continue their critical work for the rural communities,” Dr. Singh stated.
He reminded the newly recruited Community-based Health Workers and Skilled Birth Attendants, that they are the backbone of the transformation and new initiative.
“Your commitment to reducing childhood illnesses and improving maternal health is appreciated. When we invest in the health of women and children, we are investing in the future of our families, communities, and nations.
“Together, we are building a stronger, healthier, and more resilient Nigeria, ensuring that no community is left behind,” he added.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, who presided over the one-day inauguration ceremony, described the recruitment and formal inauguration of the health personnel as a strategic milestone in the ongoing efforts of the Kano state government to strengthen the healthcare system, particularly, at the primary healthcare level.
He emphasized that the deployment of the health professionals will significantly enhance access to quality, affordable, and effective healthcare services, especially for women, children, and rural communities.
Dr. Labaran Yusuf highlighted that the recruitment aligned with the vision and commitment of the Kano state government under the leadership of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the programme, he said: “What we just did is distribution of engagement letters to this staff of the primary healthcare board, which was shouldered by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency in an attempt to reduce the maternal mortality rate in Kano state.
“We incorporated them. We have put before them the problems of health in Kano, not just maternal mortality, because they are going into the society, they are going into the community. So they will help the communities in all the areas I have mentioned, including maternal health, neonatal health, immunizations, nutrition.
“These are the areas that we want them to focus to ensure that child survival is assured in Kano state. My final message is for them to go into the community, work with the communities and help the communities.”
Dr. Labaran Yusuf agreed that Kano state is facing the challenges of high maternal mortality rate, high neonatal mortality, high malnutrition, high number of zero-dose, high number of unimmunized children.
“These are the main problems we are tackling. We are winning the battle already. Go to the records, you will observe that the status of Kano state now is commendable. What we have achieved in the last one and a half years, the last two years in Kano state is very remarkable.
“But we don’t want them to fold their arms and say that we are winning already. That is why I didn’t even mention that in there.
Let them go in and start working afresh and let them put much more effort to ensure that we have zero maternal mortality, zero neonatal mortality, zero malnutrition in Kano state.
“We have 1,018 staff that have been recruited, both skilled births and also community assisting health workers that will be sent across the 18 Local Government Areas that have high maternal and child mortality rate in the state.”
