Distinguished members of the Nigeria Women Association of Journalists, Kano State Chapter, esteemed colleagues, partners, and invited guests.
On behalf of our CEO, Dr Aminu Magashi Garba, and our capacity representing the Africa Health Budget Network, the AMG Foundation, the CHR, V-PESDI, AMMKAS, YOSPIS, and the White Heart Development Initiative, we bring you warm greetings and sincere appreciation for your commitment to advancing women’s health in Kano State via amplifying key advocacy messages through Radio/Television/Print and Online.
It is a privilege to join you at this sensitization and awareness campaign on breast cancer and women’s health, an event co-funded by the AMG Foundation to strengthen the collective voice and visibility of women journalists in promoting impactful health advocacy.
We recognize the importance of women journalists, and we are calling on our media stakeholders present today to enhance their awareness and deepen their engagement around family planning and maternal, newborn and child health issues.
Your voices carry the reach and influence needed to stimulate community level conversations and prompt timely action from policymakers.
As we reflect on the broader landscape of women’s health in Kano, strengthening MNCH services continues to be vital. Women face multiple layers of vulnerability at different stages of life, from pregnancy to childbirth and early motherhood.
Young children, adolescents, and the girl child rely on a more responsive health system. The girl child of today will become the adolescent and adult woman of tomorrow, and she deserves a system capable of supporting her at every stage.
In this spirit, allow me to highlight the core advocacy messages we hope you will help elevate:
1. We advocate for increased skilled human resources for health to ensure quality family planning and MNCH services through the Kano state ministry of health
2. We advocate for the timely release of funds for Kano State’s annual approved family planning and MNCH budget.
3. We advocate for additional funding sources for family planning and MNCH (ANC drugs, vaccines and delivery kits) commodities and consumables to prevent stockouts and ensure continuous access.
(We will advocate to fully fund FP and MNCH services including injectables and implants by engaging the leadership of KSCHMA to explore additional financing from ethical financing frameworks, zakat-based health contribution, Private sector CSR, Donor Partners and philanthropist)
4. We call for the timely release of the 2025 adolescent health and well-being budget of 100 million naira, which is essential for meeting the needs of young people across the state.
(Delay in the release of funds for adolescent health and wellbeing is affecting reproductive health indices especially for adolescents in the state.)
We share these messages with the hope that some of you will take interest in these recommendations and help amplify them through your platforms, ensuring they reach a wider audience and capture the attention of high-level decision makers. Your role in documentation, publication, and broadcasting is central to creating visibility and sustaining public awareness.