The Niger State Government has announced a strategic partnership with Georgetown Global Health Nigeria (GGHN) to deliver essential health and nutrition services to women and children in remote and underserved communities across the state.
The Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Dr Ibrahim Dangana, disclosed this during a courtesy visit by a GGHN delegation led by Dr Raji Egigogo in Minna.
Dr Dangana was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Mohammed Gana.
According to him, the collaboration aligns with Governor Umaru Bago’s vision to prioritise maternal and child health in Niger State.
He revealed that the initiative is anchored on the Integrated Maternal and Child Health Outreach (IMCHO) programme, specifically targeting communities that have never received immunisation services.
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“This partnership will help bridge healthcare gaps in the state and is a strong step toward equitable access to life-saving interventions,” he said.
In his remarks, Dr Egigogo explained that the project was designed to provide critical health and nutrition services to women and children in fragile, conflict-affected, violence-prone, and hard-to-reach areas.
He stated that over 24.9 million children under the age of five had already been vaccinated through the Reach Every Settlement (RES) strategy since 2022.
“The IMCHO initiative is a game-changer. It directly addresses the challenge of zero-dose children, especially in marginalised communities. The impact could extend well beyond Niger State,” Egigogo added.
He further disclosed that the pilot phase of the programme in Wushishi and Munya Local Government Areas had recorded encouraging results.
In Wushishi, 168 children received routine immunisation antigens, while in Munya, 46 percent of the previously unreached target population were vaccinated.
“These results show that, even in the most difficult circumstances, zero-dose children can be reached through integrated, community-based outreach,” he said.
Egigogo emphasised that GGHN’s goal is to leave no child behind, adding that robust partnerships with state governments are critical to achieving universal healthcare coverage.