The Bauchi State Government has expanded the number of family planning service delivery points from 610 to 713, in a move to enhance access to quality reproductive health services.
The Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Sani M. Dambam said this during the handing over of family planning commodities donated under the UNFPA/Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) grant, on Sunday in Bauchi.
Represented by Rilwanu Mohammed, Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dambam said “the measure would enable women to space births and reduce maternal health risks safely.”
He said; “Demand for family planning services remained high, and newly supplied commodities would address persistent stock-out challenges in health facilities.”
Dambam said; “The supplies would enable couples to have better access to family planning services and help tackle the recurring issue of stock-outs.”
He commended the UNFPA for its support towards reducing maternal mortality and strengthening reproductive health services, especially in hard-to-reach communities.
The Commissioner noted that recent disruptions in the availability of commodities, occasioned by the withdrawal of USAID support, served as a wake-up call for the state to take greater leadership in ensuring sustainability.
The UNFPA Country Representative, Ms Muriel Mafico said the supply was part of a national procurement initiative funded by CIFF to strengthen reproductive health services.
Mafico, represented by Debora Tabara, a UNFPA Programme Officer in Bauchi, said “the commodities donated included 138,072 doses of Sayana Press and 10,908 units of Implanon NXT.”
Mafico recalled that the fund donated family planning commodities to the state government in July 2025, in recognition of the state’s commitment to the National Guidelines for State-Funded Procurement of FP Commodities.
She said the UNFPA and CIFF recently signed an 18-month (2025–2026) agreement to procure additional quality-assured family planning commodities for seven priority states, including Bauchi.
According to her, “the initiative aims to reduce unmet needs, promote demographic transition, and encourage increased domestic financing of reproductive health services.”
The UNFPA official commended the state government for its commitment to achieving its transformative goals to end unmet need for family planning, preventable maternal deaths, and eliminate gender-based violence and harmful practices.
NAN