Sokoto to Provide Free Delivery Kits for Women in Public Hospitals

The Sokoto State Government has announced plans to provide free delivery kits to women giving birth in public health facilities as part of renewed efforts to reduce maternal and newborn deaths across the state.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Faruk Abubakar, disclosed the plan on Monday during the dissemination of the Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC) assessment report in Sokoto.

According to the commissioner, the government will also install solar lighting in labour rooms and maternity units while strengthening antenatal care services. The measures are aimed at addressing some of the challenges contributing to preventable deaths among pregnant women, mothers and newborns.

Abubakar said Sokoto had recorded improvements in some important health indicators, including immunisation coverage and a gradual reduction in maternal and child mortality. However, he acknowledged that significant gaps remained and required sustained intervention.

The commissioner said the government was particularly focused on addressing the three major delays associated with maternal deaths: delays in deciding to seek medical care, delays in reaching a health facility and delays in receiving appropriate treatment after arrival.

He explained that the assessment report provided stakeholders with an opportunity to evaluate the state’s health sector, identify weaknesses, improve the allocation of resources and strengthen collaboration between government institutions and development partners.

Abubakar also stressed the importance of accurate health data in planning and accountability. He said the state would rely on evidence from the assessment to develop policies and programmes capable of improving healthcare delivery.

The commissioner disclosed that more than 60 per cent of resolutions reached at the National Health Council had already been implemented in Sokoto, describing the state as one of the leading states in translating national health policies into action.

Despite the progress, he identified inadequate financial protection for residents and the need for greater investment and reforms as continuing challenges within the health sector.

He also called on development organisations working in maternal health to make reducing maternal mortality a central part of their programmes in Sokoto.

The Chairman of the Sokoto State Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Abba Shehu, urged authorities and development partners to ensure that the initiative reaches all 23 local government areas, particularly rural communities where access to maternal healthcare remains a major concern.

Shehu noted that many of the challenges highlighted by the assessment were concentrated at the local government level and could not be fully addressed by focusing on the state capital.

He called for a broader grassroots campaign involving district heads, village heads and community leaders, adding that local government chairmen were prepared to support programmes designed to improve maternal and newborn healthcare.

The Chairman of the Sokoto State House of Assembly Committee on Health, Kabiru Dauda, also pledged the legislature’s support for the initiative.

Dauda said the state assembly would continue to support legislation and policies aimed at protecting pregnant women and children while improving access to quality healthcare services.

Representing the UNFPA Sokoto Field Office, Dr Rabi Sagir said the EmONC assessment was intended to go beyond the presentation of statistics and lead to concrete interventions based on evidence.

She said stakeholders would examine gaps in infrastructure, healthcare personnel and essential supplies affecting Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care services across Sokoto’s 23 local government areas.

The exercise is also expected to encourage the state government, development partners and other stakeholders to make policy and financial commitments towards implementing the recommendations. These commitments would be incorporated into the state’s operational plans and budgets.

Sagir urged stakeholders to turn the assessment findings into practical interventions that would improve the availability, quality and accessibility of emergency obstetric and newborn services across Sokoto State.

The proposed free delivery kits, improved maternity facilities and stronger antenatal care services are expected to form part of Sokoto’s broader strategy to address preventable maternal and newborn deaths and improve healthcare outcomes for women and children across the state.