By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has commended the Fathers for Good Health” (F4H) groups for their pivotal role in improving primary healthcare delivery across the state.
The Governor gave the commendation during the Fathers for Good Health Awards Ceremony held at the Government House Banquet Hall in Bauchi.
Represented by his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Awwal Jatau, the Governor described the community-driven initiative as an essential bridge between health facilities and rural communities.
“Your dogged efforts in promoting positive health behavior, supporting immunization campaigns, and encouraging maternal and child healthcare utilization are visible and cherished by all,” The Governor said.
He emphasized that the initiative has significantly increased male involvement in public health decisions, ensuring that no mother or child is left behind.
Highlighting his administration’s financial commitment to the health sector, Governor Mohammed revealed that the state government released over ₦872 million last year as counterpart funding into the Primary Health Care Memorandum of Understanding (PHC-MOU) Basket Fund account.
The funding according to him supports routine immunization, nutrition programs, and maternal healthcare, adding that through a partnership with UNICEF under the Child Nutrition Fund, the state has procured over ₦600 million worth of nutrition commodities.
“This includes 4,562 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and 15,419 cartons of Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS) to combat childhood malnutrition” he said.
The Governor noted that the F4H initiative, which started in 2024, has expanded from two to ten Local Government Areas (LGAs) due to its remarkable impact.
He also expressed gratitude to development partners, including UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Bill & Melinda Gates and Aliko Dangote Foundation, for their continuous support.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sani Muhammad Dambam, stated that greater male involvement in healthcare decisions would rapidly improve maternal and child health indicators.
He urged the advocates to remain dedicated to driving positive behavioral change.
The UNICEF Team Lead in Abuja, Dr. Asnakew Tsega, lauded Bauchi State for pioneering the initiative, which was originally designed to tackle cultural barriers holding women and children back from accessing medical services and called on the state government to expand the program to all 20 LGAs.
Corroborating this, the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, disclosed that the F4H initiative has successfully reduced the number of “zero-dose” children who have never received vaccines.
He noted that members have been instrumental in educating mothers and mobilizing communities for antenatal care and routine immunization.
