By Rabiu Sanusi
As part of efforts to implement the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives (MAMII) project, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) organized a five-day workshop in Kano to design context-specific intervention strategies aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in the state and across the country.
The workshop equipped participants with a thorough understanding of the MAMII concept and facilitated the development of intervention plans for implementation in Kano State.
The Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Ali Pate, represented by Dr. Saidu Ahmed, Director at the FMoH, emphasized that the MAMII initiative will redefine healthcare delivery in Nigeria. He noted that Kano State has taken the lead in northern Nigeria, urging participants and stakeholders to deepen partnerships and understand their roles in achieving the project’s objectives.
In his welcome address, Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to support the federal government in addressing maternal and neonatal mortality.
“Kano State is critical to the nation’s health indices and challenges, being the most populous state with high numbers of zero-dose children, child mortality, and malnutrition,” he said.
Dr. Abubakar also pointed out that the last 18 months of the previous administration saw poor coordination of routine immunization. However, he highlighted that the current administration under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has improved routine immunization and introduced free antenatal care (ANC), delivery services, and cesarean sections even before the federal government’s intervention.
Speaking on behalf of the 36 health commissioners across the federation, Dr. Temi Coker, Commissioner for Health in Ogun State, stressed that Nigeria ranks third globally in maternal mortality.
She noted that the MAMII project would strengthen human resource capacity to significantly reduce maternal mortality.
In their joint presentation titled “Overview of SWAp and MAMII Strategy,” Dr. Ashiru Muhammad and Dr. Dayo from the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) coordination office highlighted Kano’s contribution to maternal mortality, noting that the state accounts for 18 of the 172 prioritized interventions aimed at reducing maternal deaths.
They also listed other high-burden states, including Katsina, Jigawa, Kaduna, Borno, and Bauchi.
They explained that Nigeria’s SWAp is a management framework designed to build a more cohesive, effective, and sustainable health sector. The approach is based on five core principles:
- One plan
- One budget
- One report
- One conversation
- One voice
The workshop witnessed significant participation from stakeholders, including officials from the Federal Ministry of Health, SWAp Coordination Office, representatives from Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states, development partners, and other key players in Nigeria’s health sector.