By Lizzy Carr
Bauchi State has inaugurated a Family Planning (FP) Finance Tracker Team tasked with monitoring and analyzing financial allocations and expenditures related to family planning services in the state.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sani Mohammed Dambam, revealed this during the dissemination of the Bauchi State Family Planning Financing Tracker.
The event, held at the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board conference hall, was organized in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Dr. Dambam disclosed that the state government had approved ₦50 million for family planning commodities, though delays in fund disbursement persist.
Represented by the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, he explained that the tracker team would ensure transparent use of financial resources and improved implementation of FP services.
“With many international partners supporting FP services in the state, the tracker is essential for monitoring resources and ensuring improved uptake of family planning services,” he said.
The initiative follows a three-day technical workshop in Plateau State, where the tracker was developed with inputs from stakeholders and implementing partners.
UNFPA State Program Officer, Deborah Tabara, highlighted that the tracker aligns with the recently launched ‘National Guidelines for State-Funded Procurement of Family Planning Commodities.’
She described the initiative as a critical step toward sustainable delivery of quality and affordable FP services in Bauchi State.
UNFPA also commended the federal government for committing $4 million to the National Basket Fund for FP commodities procurement.
According to Tabara, UNFPA has contributed 70% of the funds for procurement since the fund’s inception in 2011 and 90% in 2023 alone.
The 2023 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) revealed that Bauchi State has a total fertility rate (TFR) of 7.2%, an unmet FP need of 20%, and a modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) of only 5%.
Over the last 12 years, UNFPA has supported Bauchi State with FP commodities worth ₦1.97 billion.
Tabara further explained that family planning contributes to reducing maternal and infant mortality and accelerates economic growth.
She urged the Bauchi government to continue mobilizing resources to bridge funding gaps and sustain gains in FP programming.
The event also featured a presentation on the FP landscape in Nigeria and highlighted incentives such as increased FP commodity supply and training programs for states contributing to the National Basket Fund.
