Plateau Leads in Maternal and Child Health, UNICEF Commends Government Efforts

The Plateau State government has been commended for its commitment to maternal and child health, with UNICEF recognizing its proactive approach in funding nutrition programs, strengthening primary healthcare, and ensuring access to skilled birth attendants.

The commendation came from Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi, during a media engagement in Jos, where she highlighted the state’s remarkable progress in healthcare, immunization, and child welfare.

“The dedication I witnessed at the highest level of Plateau’s leadership is truly commendable,” Dr. Rafique said.

“I am confident that anything they set out to achieve is possible. While our primary focus has been on Bauchi, Taraba, and Adamawa due to their high levels of deprivation, Plateau and Taraba have continued to make significant progress.

” His Excellency’s commitment to funding nutrition projects, primary healthcare, and safe delivery initiatives places Plateau in a leadership position in child health and survival.”

She urged journalists to amplify these successes while also drawing attention to areas that need further intervention.

“Journalists are the backbone of every state,” she said. “Through your work, you can educate communities, spread awareness, and highlight success stories. Positive journalism has the power to inspire change.”

Dr. Rafique identified five thematic priorities for ensuring child survival and development: birth registration, immunization, nutrition, water and sanitation, and education.

She stressed the need for intensified efforts to eliminate zero-dose children—those who have never received any vaccine—describing them as indicators of a failing healthcare system.

“A child with zero doses means the health system has failed to reach them. That should not happen,” she stated.

She also recounted her experience in Pakistan, where negative media coverage of maternal deaths discouraged women from seeking hospital care.

However, when journalists shifted their focus to reporting success stories, public perception changed, leading to increased hospital deliveries and a decline in maternal and newborn mortality.

In addition, Dr. Rafique urged media practitioners to engage local government leaders, legislators, and traditional rulers to advocate for stronger policies on child health, sanitation, and education.

Also speaking, Opeyemi Olagunju, UNICEF’s Communication and Advocacy Officer, called for more media attention on birth registration, describing it as a fundamental right that ensures a child’s access to healthcare and education.

He advocated for its integration with immunization programs to ensure more children are documented from birth.

“When parents bring their children for vaccinations, they can also register their births, creating a streamlined system that benefits both healthcare and civil registration,” he explained.

Olagunju also emphasized the media’s role in tackling malnutrition, urging journalists to report on nutrition challenges and government efforts to improve child health.

He encouraged investigative reporting that highlights gaps in healthcare services and urges authorities to take action.

“Media advocacy has real impact. A report on the lack of ambulances for pregnant women in Taraba led to swift government action,” he noted.

The interactive session, organized by the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, aimed to foster stronger collaboration between the media and UNICEF in promoting children’s rights and social development.