By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has joined the league of its counterparts in launching the UNICEF Supported initiative tagged “Mama2Mama Support Group” with a view to supporting the LG’s Primary Health Care Department in it’s effort towards improved Maternal,Newborn and Child Health (MNCH).
Launching the Mama2Mama (M2M) initiative on Thursday 18th January, 2024 at the conference hall of Toro LG Secretariat, wife of the Council Care Taker Committee Chairman, Hajiya Fatima Danlami Abubakar said that the activities of the M2M support group has contributed in the positive change Toro LG is witnessing in the areas of routine immunization coverage, antenatal/post natal care and hospital delivery.
Hajiya Abubakar enjoined the group to sustain the tempo and further urged them to see what they are doing as service to humanity.
She also said that she is proud to associate with their commitment and resolve in making health care services attractive to household heads in all the nooks and crannies of the LG.
Hajiya Fatima Abubakar also implored the Mama2Mama group to incorporate awareness creation on anti SGBV in their engagements with community members.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, acting director of Toro LG primary health care department, Maidawa B. Musa stressed on the need for communities to support M2M support group in carrying out their awareness campaigns.
Musa who described the work of the support group as “contributing their quota towards human capital development”, also thanked Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency and UNICEF for the support initiative.
Amina Hussaini, Toro MCH Coordinator while speaking, said that the uniqueness of the Mama2Mama support group is that they were women that had given birth at one point in time and were also drawn from the communities that they are living in and that as such, women and caregivers embraced their advocacies of accessing health care.
She also said that the support group also creates awareness on personal hygiene and general housing keeping to women in their communities.
Speaking on behalf of the Mama2Mama Support group Amina Abdullahi from Marama Ward said that it is indeed a full filing assignment.
She then called on the authorities and partners to explore avenues on how to give free delivery kits to expectant mothers which, according to her, would further make hospital delivery attractive to household heads.
There were good will messages from the LG religious focal person, ward development committee chairman, supervisory councillor on health and UNICEF Focal Person supervising Mama2Mama support group in the Local Government.