Israel Oluyemi
Executive Director of the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Sulaiman Bashir, and UNICEF officials have called for increased funding for women and adolescent health programmes in Adamawa State.
He raised the call while addressing stakeholders during activities marking International Women’s Day in Yola.
He said a stronger financial commitment would expand maternal healthcare services and strengthen reproductive health education for adolescents across the state.
Bashir noted that many women still face barriers that limit access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities.
“It is therefore time for society to change the narrative by taking deliberate actions that promote the rights and well-being of women and girls,” he said.
He added that early reproductive health education would equip adolescents with knowledge that prepares them for healthier adulthood and family life.
Chief of the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Nuzhat Rafique, urged governments, institutions and communities to sustain actions that guarantee healthcare, education and protection for women and girls.
She described the occasion as an opportunity to renew commitment to justice and equal rights.
“Every woman in Adamawa, whether in urban or rural areas such as Numan, Demsa, Shelleng, and other remote communities, should access these basic services,” Rafique said.
Oluseyi Olosunde, a Health Officer with UNICEF, highlighted declining participation in antenatal care and hospital deliveries among pregnant women.
“Data from a national health survey showed a drop from 82.1 per cent in 2018 to 34.7 per cent between 2023 and 2024,” he said.
Olosunde warned that many women still deliver at home, increasing the risk of maternal deaths.
He also highlighted progress under the Strengthening Access to Reproductive and Adolescent Health initiative supported by UNICEF and the European Union.
The programme has reached 126,558 adolescents with reproductive health and HIV information while training 1,231 health workers and 226 community midwives across the state.
Participants at the gathering pledged stronger collaboration to advance healthcare access and opportunities for women and girls in Adamawa.