"EU flags fly in a row in front of the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium"
By Gbolahan Salman Sokoto
The Sokoto State Government, in collaboration with UNICEF and the European Union (EU), has mobilised community leaders across the state’s 244 wards as part of renewed efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality, improve immunisation coverage and strengthen primary healthcare services at the grassroots.
The initiative was unveiled on Monday during a one-day orientation and sensitisation workshop organised by the Sokoto State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SSPHCDA) for members of Ward Development Committees (WDCs) under the EU-supported Strengthening Access to Reproductive and Adolescent Health (SARAH) Programme and Community Engagement and Accountability (CEA) initiative.
The workshop, held at Dankane Guest Palace in Sokoto, brought together WDC chairmen, women leaders and other community stakeholders drawn from the state’s 23 local government areas.
Speaking at the event, the Director of Advocacy and Social Mobilisation of the Agency, Dahiru Muhammad Kamaru Gada, said the programme was designed to equip community leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to promote healthcare awareness and encourage residents to utilise available health services.
“Our objective is to ensure that community representatives fully understand the SARAH and CEA programmes so they can return to their communities and educate residents on available health services and the benefits of accessing them,” he said.
Gada described the Ward Development Committees as a vital link between healthcare providers and communities, noting that their involvement is critical to the success of public health interventions.
“We expect participants to go back to their communities and intensify mobilisation efforts, especially encouraging pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics and deliver in health facilities under the supervision of skilled healthcare workers,” he added.
According to him, increasing access to antenatal care and skilled birth attendance remains one of the most effective ways of reducing maternal and child deaths across the state.
The director said participants were also sensitised on adolescent health, reproductive health education and routine immunisation programmes aimed at protecting children and young people from vaccine-preventable diseases, including tetanus and diphtheria.
“Beyond healthcare, Ward Development Committees also serve as agents of positive change by promoting sanitation, environmental health, education and other community development initiatives,” Gada said.
Addressing concerns over insecurity in some rural communities, he explained that the agency had adopted a community-based approach that relies on trusted local residents and leaders.
“We are working with people who live within these communities. They understand the terrain, they know the security realities and they enjoy the confidence of the people. That allows us to continue delivering health messages and services despite security challenges,” he stated.
Gada disclosed that functional Ward Development Committees have been established in all 244 wards of the state, comprising chairmen, vice-chairmen, women leaders and other community representatives who support healthcare campaigns at the grassroots.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Sokoto State Ward Development Committees, Bala Gadanga, described the initiative as a major step towards strengthening community ownership of healthcare programmes.
“The success of this programme depends largely on community participation. Participants will return to their wards and local governments to cascade the knowledge acquired and mobilise residents to utilise available healthcare services,” he said.
Gadanga explained that the programme focuses on house-to-house mobilisation, tracking children who miss routine immunisation, identifying adolescents in need of healthcare services and referring pregnant women for antenatal care and safe delivery.
“This intervention will help reduce maternal mortality and morbidity while improving access to healthcare services for women, children and other vulnerable groups across Sokoto State,” he added.
He noted that the participation of women leaders from all 244 wards reflects the programme’s commitment to gender inclusion and community-driven development.
According to him, stronger collaboration among health authorities, local government councils and community structures will be crucial to achieving sustainable improvements in healthcare delivery and advancing public health outcomes across Sokoto State.
وی بی پی ای، در واقع یک ترکیب فوقپیشرفته از پروتئینهای وی
با سرعت جذب متفاوت است.