By Segun Adewale, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government has expanded its family planning service delivery points from 610 to 713 facilities, a move aimed at improving access for women of reproductive age across the state.
The state Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Sani Mohammed Dambam, disclosed this yesterday during the handover of family planning commodities donated under the UNFPA/CIFF grant. The event took place at the Central Medical Stores in Bauchi.
Speaking through the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, the commissioner said the expansion of service points would significantly help women safely space their births and reduce maternal health risks.
He noted that the demand for family planning services in the state remains high, adding that the newly supplied commodities would help address persistent stockout challenges across facilities.
“With these supplies, couples will have better access to family planning services, and this will help address the recurring problem of stockouts,” he said.
Dr. Dambam commended the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for its continued support to Bauchi State in reducing maternal mortality and ensuring reproductive health services reach even the most remote communities. He also acknowledged the organization’s role in last-mile distribution of the commodities.
He described recent disruptions in the availability of family planning commodities following the withdrawal of USAID as a wake-up call, emphasizing the need for the state government to take greater leadership in ensuring sustainability.
UNFPA /CiFF handed over 138,072 doses of Sayana Press and 10,908 units of Implanon NXT,
Handing over the commodities on behalf of the UNFPA Country Representative, Ms. Muriel Mafico, the Gender/Reproductive Health Analyst and UNFPA Bauchi Programme Officer, Deborah Tabara explained that the supply forms part of a procurement initiative funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) to strengthen reproductive health services nationwide.
She recalled that in July 2025, UNFPA similarly handed over state-funded family planning commodities, following Bauchi’s commitment to the National Guidelines for State-Funded Procurement of FP Commodities, launched by Governor Bala Mohammed in 2023.
UNFPA and CIFF recently signed an 18-month (2025–2026) agreement to procure additional quality-assured family planning commodities for seven priority states, including Bauchi. The initiative aims to reduce unmet family planning needs, promote demographic transition, and encourage increased domestic financing of reproductive health services.
UNFPA expressed appreciation for the Bauchi State Government’s commitment to achieving the agency’s three transformative goals: ending unmet need for family planning, ending preventable maternal deaths, and eliminating gender-based violence and all harmful practices.
Bauchi’s Reproductive Health Situation
With an estimated population of over 9.2 million people, Bauchi State faces significant reproductive health challenges. According to the 2023–24 NDHS, the state has:
A total fertility rate (TFR) of 6.2 children per woman
An unmet need for family planning of 22.2%
A modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) of 10.6%
An average stockout rate of 49% in the past year
These indicators highlight the need for sustained investment and targeted interventions.
Assurance of Safe Storage and Distribution
The Managing Director of the Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency, Abdulkadir Ahmed, assured that the commodities would be safely stored and delivered to the intended beneficiaries.
He added that UNFPA also supported the agency in assessing the state’s family planning commodity needs for the 2026–2028 period.
