Kano State has taken a major step to address maternal and newborn mortality by partnering with the United Nations Children’s Fund to deploy more than 1,000 frontline health workers across high-risk communities.
At a formal inauguration ceremony, the state government issued engagement letters to 1,018 recruits, including 380 skilled birth attendants and 716 community-based health workers.
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The personnel will be posted to 18 local government areas identified as having some of the highest rates of maternal and neonatal deaths.
The Commissioner for Health, Abubakar Labaran, said the initiative aligns with efforts led by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to strengthen primary healthcare systems and tackle persistent health challenges in the state.
Dr Labaran, noted that the newly recruited workers will operate under the Primary Health Care Board, focusing on improving outcomes for mothers and newborns.
According to him, their responsibilities will extend beyond maternal and neonatal care to include immunization campaigns, nutrition support, and broader community health services aimed at improving child survival rates.
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The Commissioner pointed out that Kano continues to face serious health concerns, including high maternal and infant mortality, malnutrition, and low immunization coverage.
While acknowledging recent progress, he stressed the government’s commitment to eliminating preventable deaths and malnutrition.
Also speaking at the event, UNICE field Officer in Kano State, Mr Karanveer Singh described the deployment as a significant milestone in expanding access to quality healthcare.
Urging that, the capacity of community health workers and skilled birth attendants is key to delivering essential services directly to underserved populations.
Dr Singh praised the state government’s investment in training, motivation, and compensation for frontline workers, describing them as central to improving health outcomes.
He reaffirmed UNICEF’s support for ongoing programmes, including the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative, which targets communities across 200 wards in the selected local government areas.
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“Some of the newly engaged workers expressed optimism and readiness to contribute to reducing maternal and newborn deaths, particularly in rural communities where access to healthcare remains limited”.
The intervention is expected to significantly improve healthcare delivery in underserved areas and strengthen efforts to ensure safer pregnancies and healthier outcomes for children across Kano State.
