From Ardo Abdul in Bauchi
The Nutrition International MMS Research has Delivered a Breakthrough in Bauchi. This is supported by the
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed who reaffirmes his administration’s strong commitment to maternal and child health.
Governor Bala’s investments exceeds ₦1.8 billion in healthcare financing, he commended Nutrition International for its impactful partnership in the state.
A statement from the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Communication Abdulwahab Muhammad says Governor Bala Muhammad made this known while receiving a delegation from Nutrition International led by its Country Director, Dr. Osita Okonkwo, during a courtesy visit at the Government House, Bauchi.
Massive Financial Commitment to Strengthen Healthcare he further said.
Governor Bala Mohammed disclosed that Bauchi State has paid over ₦800 million as counterpart funding for key health interventions aimed at strengthening service delivery across the state.
In addition:
The state provided ₦300 million as counterpart funding to UNICEF to support children’s nutrition programmes, including the procurement of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition.
Over ₦700 million has been committed to the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).
Strategic partnerships are ongoing to scale up the provision of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for pregnant women.
The Governor emphasized that beyond financial investment, his administration continues to construct and renovate Primary Healthcare Centres across the state to expand access and improve quality of care.
“We are not just funding programmes; we are building sustainable systems that will protect mothers and give every child in Bauchi a healthy start to life,” the Governor stated.
MMS Implementation Research Records Strong Outcomes
Earlier, Dr. Osita Okonkwo revealed that the Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) Implementation Research Project conducted in Bauchi State has produced measurable and encouraging results.
The research, implemented in partnership with the State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the State Primary Health Care
The agency was designed to generate practical evidence on how best to introduce and scale MMS through routine antenatal care services.
Key Achievements:
Development of training manuals and counselling guides
Creation of operational and logistics management tools
Strengthening of supply chain systems
Improved capacity of frontline health workers
Significantly, tools developed from the Bauchi research have now been adopted at the national level by the Federalc Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to guide the nationwide rollout of MMS.
Improved Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes
According to Dr. Okonkwo, the research confirmed that Multiple Micronutrient Supplements provide greater benefits compared to standard iron and folic acid supplementation.
The study recorded reductions in:
Low birth weight
Preterm births
Babies born small for gestational age
Newborn mortality risks
The project also increased awareness and uptake of maternal nutrition services among pregnant women in participating local government areas.
Toward Statewide Scale-Up and Deeper Collaboration
With the success of the pilot phase, focus is now shifting toward statewide scale-up of MMS through strengthened antenatal care platforms.
Future collaboration will prioritize:
Improving quality of health worker training
Strengthening service delivery in health facilities
Enhancing logistics and supply chain systems
Expanding child survival interventions such as Vitamin A supplementation
The partnership underscores Bauchi State’s growing reputation as a reform-driven subnational government investing strategically in evidence-based health interventions.
With strong political will, sustained financing, and development collaboration, Bauchi is positioning itself as a leader in maternal and child nutrition reform in Nigeria.
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