By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the umbrella of the Kaduna State Maternal Accountability Mechanism (K...
By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the umbrella of the Kaduna State Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM) have intensified advocacy for full cash backing of budgetary allocations to strengthen Family Planning (FP) and Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) services in the state.
Speaking at a Media Executive Meeting held in Kaduna, the Co-Chairman of KADMAM, Comrade Garba Muhammad, said the state is taking a major step toward reducing maternal and infant mortality rates through stronger collaboration between CSOs, the media, and government stakeholders.
He lamented that despite consistent budgetary provisions, cash releases and utilisation for FP/MNCH programmes remain a major challenge in Kaduna. “Family planning uptake remains below national targets, while maternal and neonatal mortality rates are still high due to limited cash backing that affects procurement, logistics, and service delivery,” he said.
Muhammad explained that CSOs have been actively tracking FP/MNCH budget allocations, releases, and expenditures to ensure accountability and transparency. He added that they are also engaging policymakers to honour financial commitments and creating public awareness on the importance of family planning and maternal health services.
He commended the media for keeping FP/MNCH issues in public discourse and monitoring government performance on financial commitments. He urged the executive arm of government to ensure full and timely cash releases to relevant ministries and agencies, describing FP/MNCH as a vital investment in Kaduna’s development agenda.
The meeting recommended the establishment of a Joint CSO-Media-Government Accountability Forum, publication of periodic budget performance reports, and continuous capacity building for media and CSOs on budget tracking. It also emphasised the need for multi-sectoral partnerships to sustain FP/MNCH financing.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board (SPHCB) has launched the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) to tackle the high rate of maternal and newborn deaths in the state.
According to Hajiya Hussaina Kudan, a representative of the SPHCB, the initiative forms part of the state’s vision to deliver accessible, affordable, and high-quality healthcare to all residents. She said national data indicate a maternal mortality rate of 512 deaths per 100,000 live births and neonatal mortality of 39 per 1,000. Kaduna’s rates stand at 449 and 6 respectively, which she described as “unacceptably high.”
She identified poor skilled birth attendance, low antenatal and postnatal care, weak referral systems, and adolescent pregnancies as major drivers of maternal deaths. She noted that the SPHCB has embarked on multiple interventions, including training of healthcare workers, provision of emergency transport services, community sensitisation, and health insurance coverage.
Under its 2+2 Agenda, the SPHCB aims to reduce maternal and child mortality by 25% in two years and by another 20% in the subsequent two years. The plan also targets a 30% reduction in malnutrition and the elimination of “zero-dose” local government areas within the same period.
MAMII, she added, is being used to coordinate interventions, identify gaps, and strengthen accountability mechanisms at state and community levels. The initiative recommends scaling up verbal and social autopsy (VASA) exercises, expanding community health worker training, and ensuring uninterrupted supply of life-saving medicines.
The forum concluded with a strong message to policymakers:
“No Woman Should Die Giving Birth — Invest in Family Planning and MNCH Now.”
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