Bauchi govt recruits 100 birth attendants to tackle maternal mortality

In a renewed effort to reduce maternal and infant mortality, the Bauchi State Government has recruited 100 skilled birth attendants to serve in Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) across the state.

The initiative, launched in collaboration with Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT), aims to strengthen maternal and child health services at the grassroots level.

Speaking during the orientation of the newly engaged health volunteers at the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board headquarters, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sani Dambam, said the move addresses the human resource gap in the health sector. He was represented by the Director of Nursing Sciences, Abdulsalam Abubakar.

Dr. Dambam emphasized the state’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery, particularly for women and children, and warned the newly recruited workers against any form of misconduct.

“The state government is doing everything possible to reduce maternal and newborn deaths. These skilled birth attendants must justify the confidence placed in them,” he said.

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Dr. Muhammad Adamu, Project Manager of IMPACT, said the birth attendants will play a key role in managing both normal and complicated childbirths, as well as providing antenatal, postnatal, and family planning services.

He noted that the selected volunteers—comprising midwives and community health extension workers—will be deployed to various PHCs to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.

To support their work, Dr. Adamu revealed that the IMPACT project has renovated and constructed accommodations, installed solar power systems, and provided boreholes in health centres to ensure a conducive working environment.

The Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Rilwanu Muhammad, represented by the Provost of Aliko Dangote College of Nursing Sciences, Mrs. Rakiya Saleh, urged the new recruits to uphold the ethics of their profession.

“You are here to save lives. Pregnant women and children are counting on you. Let your work reflect dedication and compassion,” she said.

With this initiative, the Bauchi State Government hopes to significantly cut down preventable maternal and infant deaths and move closer to achieving better health outcomes for its citizens.