By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
As stakeholders intensify efforts to address the persistently high rates of maternal, newborn, and child mortality and morbidity in Bauchi State, there is an urgent need to adopt innovative, preventive, and sustainable approaches.
One such critical pathway that demands immediate attention from the Bauchi State Government, communities, and development partners is the establishment and scale-up of Adolescent and Youth Friendly Centres across the state.
These centres are not merely optional interventions—they are strategic investments in the future health and wellbeing of Bauchi’s population. By targeting adolescents and young people early, such centres provide essential knowledge on healthcare-seeking behaviour, sexual and reproductive health, personal hygiene, and life skills, while discouraging harmful practices such as drug abuse and risky sexual behaviour. Early exposure to this knowledge equips young people with the information they need to make informed decisions long before they enter marriage and parenthood.
Evidence has shown that when young people are empowered with accurate health information and access to supportive services, they are more likely to adopt positive health behaviours. This, in turn, translates into improved maternal and child health outcomes, including increased use of health facilities, better nutrition practices, and reduced preventable deaths among mothers, newborns, and children.
In this regard, Adolescent and Youth Friendly Centres serve as incubators for a generation that is better prepared to break the cycle of poor health outcomes.
Encouragingly, partners such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have already piloted such initiatives with promising results in strengthening healthcare delivery and community awareness.
The Bauchi State Government must now take deliberate steps to institutionalize and expand these centres, ensuring they reach underserved and rural communities where the burden of poor health outcomes is most severe.
While the drivers of maternal and child mortality in Bauchi State are multifaceted—including low rates of facility-based deliveries, poor nutrition, limited exclusive breastfeeding, and inadequate access to skilled health personnel—Adolescent and Youth Friendly Services offer a unique opportunity to address these challenges from the roots. They can nurture community champions and peer educators who will sustain advocacy and influence positive behavioural change at the grassroots level.
Health system challenges further compound the situation. According to a Health Officer with UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Oluseyi Olosunde, critical gaps such as weak primary healthcare infrastructure, shortage of skilled health workers, poor referral systems, and transportation barriers continue to hinder effective service delivery. These systemic issues require urgent and coordinated action.
Therefore, the way forward is clear. The Bauchi State Government, in collaboration with health stakeholders, must prioritize strengthening primary healthcare systems, scaling up skilled birth attendance, improving access to family planning services, expanding immunization coverage, and deepening community engagement. Central to all these efforts must be the integration and expansion of Adolescent and Youth Friendly Centres as a cornerstone of preventive healthcare.
The time to act is now. Investing in the health education and empowerment of young people today is the surest path to safeguarding the lives of mothers and children tomorrow. Bauchi State cannot afford to delay this critical intervention if it is to achieve meaningful and lasting improvements in maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes.
(Picture used for illustrative purposes only)
