The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has reaffirmed its commitment to improving maternal and child health through stronger community engagement and collaboration with traditional leaders and partners.
Speaking at a community dialogue and outreach event organised by the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health(Rotary RMCH) on Saturday in Abuja, the Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Health Care Board (PHCB), Dr. Ruqayya Wamakko, said active participation of communities has made it easier for health workers to deliver vaccines and other essential services to remote areas.
‘The road has been built, where bridges are supposed to be built, and that has made it easier for our healthcare workers to reach their workplaces, carry vaccines, and return safely, unlike before,’ she commended the Ministers of Health and the Minister of State for Health for their support.
She described community involvement as the foundation of successful health programmes, stressing that the FCT administration continues to align health interventions with local culture and traditional structures.
‘We implement our activities in cognisance of our culture and beliefs. When our traditional leaders speak, we listen – because their voices guide our actions. That is why we are all gathered here today; we respect our traditions while improving healthcare delivery,’ she noted.
Wamakko also praised the Village Development Committees (VDC) and Ward Development Committees (WDC) for their mobilisation efforts, while recognising the media as vital partners in promoting public health awareness.
‘Once you are doing an activity and do not partner with the media, you have not started. The media sell our activities – without them, we plan to fail,’ she added.
She further highlighted ongoing efforts such as the mass measles-rubella vaccination campaign, nutrition programmes, and the HPV vaccine rollout for adolescent girls to prevent cervical cancer.
‘The entire world is moving towards preventive medicine, not curative, and that is what Nigeria is now embarking on,’ she said.
In his remarks, the National Coordinator of the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health (RMCH), Prof. Emmanuel Adedolapo Lufadeju, said community ownership and government partnership are vital to reducing maternal and child mortality nationwide.
‘No one in this country wants to see women and children die from preventable causes. This is one of the very important ways by which we are addressing it,’ Lufadeju stated.
He said Rotary is partnering with the Federal Ministry of Health to promote safe motherhood, family planning, and maternal death surveillance under the Maternal and Perinatal Surveillance and Response (MPSR) initiative.
‘We are supporting the government to identify why women die and how to prevent such deaths. It is already yielding results in several states,’ he said.
Lufadeju commended the Federal Government for making reproductive health services and contraceptives free, noting that partnerships with civil society and community leaders are improving outcomes.
‘The government has shown strong leadership. Contraceptives are now free, and access is expanding. But we must sustain the collaboration to end preventable maternal and child deaths,’ he said.
He also called for increased funding for primary healthcare, more training for community health workers, and intensified awareness to build trust in public health programmes.
‘Beyond infrastructure, the human connection is key. When people understand why immunisation, family planning, or antenatal care is important, they take ownership. That is what true community engagement means,’ he added.
The District Head of Kagini Community, Alhaji Ayuba Barau, thanked the government for improving access to health services and called for a General Hospital in the area to complement existing facilities.
‘Every life matters, and every individual deserves access to quality health services. We are grateful for what has been done so far, but we appeal for a General Hospital to serve our growing population,’ he said.
The outreach featured immunisation, nutrition screening, and consultations, drawing together traditional rulers, health officials, and residents to promote community-led healthcare in the FCT.