Gov Bala Commends F4H Initiative For Improving Healthcare Delivery In Bauchi

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has commended members of the Fathers for Good Health (F4H) initiative for their significant contributions to improving healthcare service delivery across the state.

The governor gave the commendation yesterday during the Fathers for Good Health Award Ceremony held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Bauchi.

Represented by his deputy, Mohammed Auwal Jatau, Governor Bala praised the group’s commitment to promoting positive health-seeking behaviour, supporting immunisation campaigns, encouraging maternal and child healthcare utilisation, and mobilising communities to embrace healthcare services.

The governor described the event as a celebration of excellence and a recognition of the critical role community ownership and male involvement play in advancing public health outcomes.

He recalled that upon assuming office in 2019, UNICEF had already begun supporting the upgrade of 107 healthcare facilities in the state, particularly maternity complexes aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality.

According to him, his administration strengthened collaboration with development partners and increased investments in the health sector to ensure access to quality healthcare services.

He disclosed that the state government released over N872 million in counterpart funding into the Primary Healthcare Memorandum of Understanding (PHC-MoU) Basket Fund account last year to sustain critical interventions, including routine immunisation, maternal healthcare services, nutrition programmes and other life-saving initiatives.

Governor Mohammed also highlighted the state’s partnership with UNICEF under the Child Nutrition Fund, through which nutrition commodities worth more than N600 million were procured.

He revealed that Bauchi State has received 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 malnutrition and improve child survival rates.

The governor noted that the Fathers for Good Health programme, which earned him recognition as Grand Patron in 2024, has expanded from two local government areas to 10 LGAs, enabling it to reach more families and promote positive health practices across communities.

He commended UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other development partners for their continued support to the health sector in Bauchi State.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sani Muhammad Dambam, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to community-driven healthcare interventions.

He stressed that greater involvement of fathers in healthcare matters would significantly improve maternal and child health outcomes.

In his goodwill message, UNICEF Team Lead in Abuja, Dr. Asnakew Tsega, praised Bauchi State for supporting the initiative and called for its expansion to all 20 local government areas of the state.

He explained that the programme was initially introduced in Ningi and Misau LGAs based on the recognition of the critical role men play in family healthcare decisions.

The Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, said the UNICEF-supported initiative has strengthened healthcare delivery by encouraging fathers to support immunisation, antenatal care attendance and skilled birth delivery services.

He noted that members of the F4H initiative have played a vital role in reducing the number of zero-dose children in the state through sustained community mobilisation and awareness campaigns.

Representatives of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), traditional institutions and healthcare stakeholders also commended Bauchi State for its leadership in health-sector innovations and community-based healthcare interventions.

The Emir of Dass and Co-Chairman of the Bauchi State Taskforce on Primary Healthcare, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman, praised the state government’s commitment to primary healthcare development and acknowledged the positive impact of the F4H initiative on immunisation coverage, antenatal care attendance and the reduction of maternal and child health challenges.

At the ceremony, outstanding local government areas and volunteers were recognised for their contributions to immunisation, maternal healthcare and primary healthcare development.

Ganjuwa local government area emerged as the overall best-performing LGA in the implementation of the Fathers for Good Health initiative, while Bauchi and Darazo LGAs came second and third respectively.

The Fathers for Good Health initiative was introduced by UNICEF and is being implemented by the Bauchi State Government through the Primary Healthcare Development Board to address zero-dose immunisation challenges and improve maternal and child health outcomes across the state.