By Bashir Hassan
The National Lead, Nigeria Malaria and NTDs Youth Corps (NMNTDs), Mr. Promise Given, has urged the Bauchi State House of Assembly to take action against gender barriers limiting access to malaria prevention and treatment.
The team lead made the call during a high-level advocacy engagement with lawmakers, where findings from Miri and Siyi communities revealed disparities affecting vulnerable groups, particularly children under five, adolescent girls and persons with disabilities.
He called on the Assembly to champion gender-responsive health programmes, ensure timely budgetary support and strengthen legislation protecting women and girls.
Mr.Given stressed that malaria prevention and treatment should be treated as a fundamental right, saying the Assembly’s oversight and legislative powers were critical to translating commitments into action and ensuring that no citizen is left behind in the fight against malaria.
In their separate responses, the Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Y. Sulaiman, and the Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Hon. Lawal Dauda, pledged the Assembly’s continued commitment to strengthening the fight against malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in the state.
They assured the advocacy team that the Assembly would continue to use its legislative, oversight and resource-mobilisation roles to support policies and programmes aimed at improving access to quality healthcare, particularly for vulnerable populations.
The lawmakers appreciated the Nigeria Malaria and NTDs Youth Corps for bringing the concerns directly to the Assembly, stressing that the health and wellbeing of constituents remained a priority.
They said the House would not take issues concerning healthcare lightly and would work with relevant stakeholders to address barriers limiting access to essential health services, including those arising from gender inequality.
They also welcomed stronger collaboration with health partners and civil society organisations to ensure that advocacy translates into practical actions capable of improving malaria prevention, treatment and control across Bauchi State.