Gombe State has stepped up efforts to curb maternal and child deaths with a joint medical outreach conducted in partnership with Rotary International.
The exercise, which took place across Gombe, Kaltungo and Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Areas, was flagged off by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, and the National Coordinator of Rotary Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health in Nigeria, Prof. Emmanuel Adedolapo Lufadeju.
Simultaneous sessions were held in Yelenguruza and Kagarawal communities, offering medical consultations, treatment, and health education. According to Prof. Lufadeju, the initiative was designed to combine direct medical care with widespread community sensitisation.
“At Kagarawal alone, more than 120 people turned out, and over 70 percent tested positive for malaria without knowing it. This demonstrates how silent the disease can be,” he noted.
Prof. Lufadeju explained that Rotary has been carrying out such interventions in Nigeria since 2013, stressing that the Gombe exercise was unique because it involved parallel sessions in different locations. He disclosed that the approach was already recording impact with rising antenatal clinic attendance, declining maternal and child deaths, and increased male involvement in family health.
“We are also introducing community-based surveillance to track unreported maternal and child deaths, especially from home deliveries, which still account for over 65 percent of births,” he added.
Commissioner Dahiru praised Rotary for its support and urged residents to make full use of upgraded health facilities across the state.
“Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s administration has revitalised health centres, but people should not wait for special programmes before seeking care. Pregnant women must attend antenatal clinics and parents should ensure under-five children are immunised,” he said.
He also commended other development partners backing the state’s drive to reduce maternal mortality and expand universal health coverage.
Beneficiaries at the Kagarawal outreach expressed gratitude to the organisers, noting that the intervention had brought much-needed care closer to them.
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