Some communities in Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State are grateful to the United Nations Children’s Fund, and Gavi for launching the Mama-to-Mama programme.
Mama-to-Mama is a volunteer women’s health advocacy group initiated by UNICEF and supported by Gavi.
It aims to address the high rate of avoidable maternal and child mortality in society.
Their slogan is “Mama-to-Mama – Alheri, Alheri- Mama-to-Mama.
The programme was established in Lau LGA in 2023 and engaged 30 community women as volunteers to promote positive health-seeking behaviors, particularly concerning reproduction, maternal, newborn, and child health through advocacy.
During a field trip by selected journalists to the LGA, some community leaders, including the Ward Head of Unguwan Gwana, Mr. Obadiah Yaya, and Danjuma Muhammed Dan’umma of Unguwan Habu, appreciated the initiators, the volunteers, and the state government for their concern about the health of their wives and children.
They mentioned that since the program’s inception, they have witnessed a significant improvement, with 70 per cent of their wives going for regular antenatal care and their children receiving full vaccinations.
Yaya, who is also the Vice Chairman of Janjo Community Association in the area, and Malam Dan’umma further commended the Mama-to-Mama group for their resilience and commitment toward educating women and their husbands about the benefits of regular antenatal care and full vaccination for every child.
They urged the group to extend its coverage to other remote areas to benefit more people.
In an interview, the Women leader of Lau “A” ward, Rukayya Muhammed, and Sicilia James Angola of Garin Mashi village, expressed their appreciation for religious leaders for making their job easier by informing households at churches and mosques about the objectives of the Mama-to-Mama initiative.
They also reported success in convincing over 50 per cent of their communities to visit the Lau LGA Primary Health Care facility when needed.
Rukayya Muhammed revealed that over 23 per cent of mothers had adopted exclusive breastfeeding in their communities as a result of the Mama-to-Mama campaign.
They described Governor Agbu Kefas’s administration as progressive and urged him to support UNICEF by increasing allowances for the success of the Mama-to-Mama programme in the state.
They also appealed for a vehicle to transport pregnant women to the hospital through the Mama-to-Mama program, as well as boreholes for children’s schools in the area.
Addressing members of the Mama-to-Mama group at the Lau LGA Primary Health Care facility, the Assistant State Health Educator for Advocacy and Health Promotion, Christiana Habila Habu, assured them of the state government’s determination to reward their hard work.
She appreciated them for making the state proud and urged them to maintain the tempo of their efforts.
“You can remember because of your hard work Taraba became 1st and 2nd in the previous record performance, so kudos to Taraba Mama-to-Mama,” Habu lauded the group.
However, Mr Muhammed Bello Garba, the in-charge of the Lau LGA PHC facility told journalists that many lives are feeling the impact of Mama-to-Mama, especially the vulnerable ones.
He noted that the Health Insurance Scheme established by the Taraba State Government is yielding a positive result, adding that within the period of the establishment of the Mama-to-Mama, the facility has recorded about 75 per cent improvement in women’s turnout.
