The Bauchi State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), on Friday reviewed and validated the Family Planning Costed Implementation Plan 2026–2030 to expand affordable child-spacing services.
Speaking at the event, Dr Sani Dambam, Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, said the plan would provide policy direction for effective family planning delivery once approved by the State Executive Council (SEC).
He commended UNFPA for supporting the provision of family planning commodities, noting their partnership as vital to expanding access for women and adolescents across Bauchi State’s primary healthcare facilities.
Dambam assured stakeholders that the ministry would submit the validated plan to the SEC for consideration and approval, stressing that the initiative would strengthen maternal and adolescent health outcomes across the state.
Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, Executive Chairman, Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, revealed that the state recently received a consignment of family planning commodities from UNFPA for distribution across local health centres.
He added that the state government had released N15 million as its counterpart contribution, while ongoing efforts are underway to secure the remaining N17 million to support additional commodity procurement.
Mohammed lauded the support of the governor, local government chairmen, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and media in promoting uptake and awareness of family planning services throughout Bauchi State communities.
He warned that poor birth spacing exposed women to life-threatening complications and emphasised that effective child-spacing interventions contributed significantly to reducing maternal and infant mortality across the state.
UNFPA Country Representative Muriel Mafico, commended the Bauchi Government for validating the CIP, describing the milestone as a major achievement for strengthening family planning programmes across the state.
She explained that the N4.38 billion plan aligned with UNFPA’s mandate to ensure zero unmet need for family planning and zero maternal deaths, projecting an estimated N10 billion return on investment.
Dr Mohammed Liman, a consultant supporting the plan, said the validation marked the final stage before submission to the government for official approval and implementation statewide.
He noted that modern contraceptive use in Bauchi improved from 2 per cent in 2008 to 10.6 per cent in 2024, but the unmet need for child-spacing remained high at 22 per cent among women.
“The plan targets expansion of services, including upgrading 125 health facilities, establishing adolescent-friendly centres, and providing inclusive services for persons with disabilities throughout Bauchi State’s communities.
“It also forecasts commodity requirements for the five-year period to ensure uninterrupted supply, addressing increasing demand as more women and adolescents access family planning services across the state.”
Liman added that successful implementation of the CIP would contribute to a reduction in maternal and infant deaths, improve reproductive health, and strengthen the state’s overall healthcare delivery system.