Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State commended the Fathers for Good Health (F4H) initiative for enhancing immunization, maternal, and child healthcare services.
He made this statement at the 2026 F4H Award Ceremony on Tuesday in Bauchi. Represented by his deputy, Auwal Jatau, the governor said the initiative has played a vital role in promoting positive health behaviors and strengthening the connection between communities and healthcare facilities.
Mohammed noted that members of the group have significantly contributed to promoting health awareness, immunization campaigns, maternal and child healthcare utilization, and community mobilization.
He emphasized that these efforts have greatly improved the health status of the people in the state.
“You have become an essential link between health facilities and communities, ensuring that no mother or child is left behind in accessing life-saving healthcare services,” he said.
Mohammed described the event as a celebration of excellence and a recognition of community ownership and male involvement in improving public health outcomes.
He recalled that since assuming office in 2019, his administration built on ongoing support from UNICEF, which began upgrading 107 healthcare facilities to reduce maternal and child mortality.
The governor stated that the state government strengthened partnerships with development organizations and increased investments in healthcare to ensure quality service delivery.
“The state released over N872 million in counterpart funding to the Primary Healthcare Memorandum of Understanding (PHC-MoU) Basket Fund in recent years,” he said.
He added that these interventions sustained critical healthcare services, including routine immunization, maternal healthcare, nutrition programs, and other life-saving initiatives.
The government also spent more than N600 million on procuring nutrition commodities through its partnership with UNICEF.
Mohammed announced that the state received about 4,562 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and 15,419 cartons of Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS) to combat malnutrition and improve child survival.
He highlighted that the F4H program expanded from two to 10 local government areas, allowing more communities to benefit from immunization and health behavior promotion.
He further commended UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, WHO, and other partners for their support.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sani Muhammad Dambam, affirmed that the state prioritizes community-driven healthcare interventions.
He urged F4H members to remain committed to promoting behavioral change, emphasizing that their efforts contribute to healthy families and safe communities.
Dr. Asnakes Tsega, UNICEF’s Team Lead in Abuja, reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to child protection and praised the state government for its support of the initiative.
He highlighted UNICEF’s recognition of the role of men in family decision-making, which led to the program’s launch in Ningi and Misau LGAs.
Tsega called for expanding the program to cover all 20 LGAs in the state.
Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, stated that the initiative has improved healthcare delivery by encouraging fathers to support immunization, antenatal care, and skilled birth attendance.
He noted that F4H volunteers have played a key role in reducing the number of zero-dose children in Bauchi.
The chairman explained that the program was introduced after observations showed some men prevented their wives and children from accessing essential healthcare services.
F4H is currently active in Bauchi, Giade, Kirfi, Darazo, Ganjuwa, Itas-Gadau, Toro, Ningi, and Misau LGAs.
Ganjuwa was recognized as the best-performing LGA, followed by Bauchi and Darazo in second and third positions.
