Jamilu Abubakar
The European Union-funded Strengthening Access to Reproductive and Adolescent Health (EU-SARAH) project is making significant strides in improving access to quality healthcare services for women, children and adolescents across Adamawa State through strengthened health systems and enhanced community engagement.
Speaking during a media engagement held to showcase the impact of the initiative, UNICEF Health Officer at the Bauchi Field Office, Oluseyi Olosunde, said the four-year programme is being implemented by the Adamawa State Government with support from UNICEF and UNFPA to reduce maternal, newborn and adolescent morbidity and mortality.
Olosunde explained that Adamawa, alongside Sokoto and Kwara states, is benefiting from the European Union partnership funding. He noted that sustainability measures were incorporated into the project design from the outset to ensure continued impact beyond the donor-funded period.
According to him, while reducing maternal and newborn deaths remains a key objective, the programme also places strong emphasis on adolescent reproductive health, an area he said has historically received insufficient attention in Nigeria.
“The project targets children under five years, pregnant and lactating women, as well as adolescents, who are among the most vulnerable groups in society,” he said.
He disclosed that the initiative aims to reach approximately 896,000 children under the age of five in Adamawa State during its implementation period. So far, about 150,000 pregnant and lactating women have benefited from improved access to quality antenatal care services and skilled birth attendance.
Olosunde further revealed that the programme is expected to reach 75,000 adolescents annually through a range of preventive and promotive health interventions designed to improve their reproductive health outcomes.
As part of efforts to strengthen healthcare governance and service delivery, UNICEF has supported the establishment of coordination platforms in the state to monitor progress, improve accountability and enhance performance across the health sector.
He added that more than 1,385 frontline healthcare workers have received specialised training under the project, helping to improve the quality of healthcare services and increase utilisation of health facilities, particularly among women.
The project has also strengthened community-based healthcare structures through the creation of Mama2Mama support groups and Fathers for Good Health initiatives. These platforms are aimed at promoting positive health-seeking behaviour, increasing male involvement in maternal and child healthcare, and improving community ownership of health interventions.
In addition, UNICEF, through the EU-SARAH project, has facilitated the ad hoc engagement of 336 nurses and midwives to improve access to antenatal, reproductive and maternal health services, especially in underserved and hard-to-reach communities.
Community health workers who shared their experiences during the media engagement described the project as transformative, citing notable improvements in healthcare access, community participation and health outcomes for mothers, children and adolescents across Adamawa State.
They expressed optimism that the gains recorded under the initiative would be sustained through continued government commitment and community support.