UNICEF Nigeria’s Bauchi Field Office Chief, Nuzhat Rafique, has pledged continued support for improving primary health care in Bauchi State. Speaking at the 2024 Bauchi State Primary Health Care Annual Retreat in Gombe, Rafique commended the state government for its progress while identifying critical challenges requiring immediate attention.
She lauded Governor Bala Mohammed for fulfilling the co-financing commitments under the Primary Health Care Memorandum of Understanding (PHC MOU). Rafique emphasized the importance of the state’s alignment with the Federal Ministry of Health’s Sector Wide Approach (SWAp), a strategy to pool resources and provide quality health care across Nigeria.
Highlighting key achievements, Rafique noted a decline in under-five mortality rates, from 147 per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 125 per 1,000 in 2023. However, she raised concerns over persistent issues, including the presence of zero-dose children in 13 of 20 local government areas, high home delivery rates at 68.9%, and a rise in neonatal deaths from 38 to 48 per 1,000 live births, largely due to preventable causes such as infections and birth complications.
To tackle these challenges, Rafique called for evidence-based interventions and better resource planning. She urged increased community involvement to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and emphasized the need for stronger health data systems, enhanced budget oversight, and joint performance monitoring to track progress effectively.
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure every child survives, thrives, and transforms,” Rafique said, encouraging stakeholders to use the retreat as a platform for strategic planning, collaboration, and resource mobilisation.
The retreat concluded with a call for stronger partnerships between the government, development agencies, and communities to deliver sustainable and quality primary health care in Bauchi State, focusing on improving immunisation and reducing neonatal mortality.
