The Bauchi State Government has taken delivery of 45 motorcycles from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Bauchi Field Office, to strengthen immunisation outreach and primary healthcare services across the state.
The motorcycles, distributed across the 20 local government areas, are expected to improve access to routine immunisation and essential health services, particularly in hard-to-reach and underserved communities.
Speaking at the handover on Monday, the Chief of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, said the intervention targets persistent logistics gaps that hinder service delivery in remote areas.
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She noted that the support would accelerate efforts to reach “zero-dose” children—those who have never received any vaccines—as well as women with limited access to antenatal care.
“If people cannot reach health facilities, then services must be taken to them, especially in remote areas,” Rafique said, stressing the importance of mobile outreach in improving health coverage.
She also raised concern over high maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the North-East, calling for sustained, integrated strategies to reach vulnerable populations and improve overall health outcomes.
Rafique reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting women, children and adolescents through targeted interventions and partnerships across the region.
Receiving the items, the Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Sani Dambam, described the donation as timely, noting it would significantly strengthen healthcare delivery at the grassroots.
He assured that the state government would ensure proper deployment of the motorcycles to enhance outreach services in rural communities.
Dambam also cautioned against misuse, warning that sanctions would be imposed on any personnel found diverting the motorcycles from their intended purpose.
Also speaking, UNICEF Health Officer, Seyi Olosunde, said the donation aligns with activities marking World Immunisation Week and underscores the critical role of vaccines in disease prevention.
He described immunisation as a gateway for delivering integrated primary healthcare, adding that the motorcycles would enable health workers to extend services such as antenatal care and adolescent health support to remote populations.
According to him, the intervention will expand coverage of maternal, newborn and child health services by improving mobility and access in hard-to-reach communities across Bauchi State.
