UNICEF, Global Affairs Canada donate 45 motorcycles to boost healthcare in Bauchi
The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), with support from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), has handed over 45 motorcycles to the Bauchi State Government to strengthen maternal, newborn, child and
The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), with support from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), has handed over 45 motorcycles to the Bauchi State Government to strengthen maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services in hard-to-reach communities.
During the presentation in Bauchi, the state Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, said the motorcycles would enhance the delivery of essential health services, including routine immunisation and reproductive health interventions, in underserved areas.
She explained that the motorcycles would be distributed across the 20 local government areas of the state—about two per local government area—to enable health workers to reach deprived communities where access to healthcare remains limited.
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Rafique noted that the intervention targets vulnerable populations, particularly women, children and adolescents in remote locations facing financial and geographical barriers to accessing health facilities.
“If it is not possible for them to reach us, then we must reach them. These motorcycles are being donated to all 20 local government areas to reach children, mothers and newborns in the most remote communities,” she said.
She added that immunisation would serve as the entry point for broader health services, stressing that many “zero-dose” children in Bauchi have never received vaccines, while several mothers—especially adolescent mothers—have not accessed antenatal care.
Rafique also raised concerns over early marriage and its impact on health outcomes, noting that maternal and newborn mortality in the state remains among the highest in Nigeria, particularly in the Northeast.
Receiving the motorcycles, the Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Sani Mohammed Dambam, described the donation as timely and impactful, saying it would improve healthcare delivery in difficult-to-reach communities.
He expressed appreciation to UNICEF, Global Affairs Canada and other development partners for their continued support to the state’s health sector.
Dambam said the intervention aligns with the commitment of Governor Bala Mohammed to improve healthcare services, noting that the administration has declared a state of emergency in the health sector.
He added that the motorcycles would help extend essential services to every part of the state, particularly benefiting expectant women, newborns, children and adolescents.
