Sokoto Screens Candidates for Community Midwifery Scholarships

The Sokoto State Government has commenced a 10-day screening exercise for 250 candidates under the Community Midwifery Scholarship and Bonding Scheme, aimed at mitigating the shortage of skilled birth attendants in rural and underserved communities. The screening began on Tuesday at the Conference Hall of the State Ministry of Health, Shehu Kangiwa Secretariat.

This initiative is part of the European Union-funded Strengthening Access to Reproductive and Adolescent Health (SARAH) Programme, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Alhaji Ibrahim Dingyadi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, stated that the program seeks to enroll young women and adolescent girls from rural local government areas for midwifery training during the 2026 academic cycle.

Applicants must have four O’Level credits, including English Language and Biology, and must be residents of the communities they will serve post-graduation. Dr Rabiatu Sageer, UNFPA State Team Lead, emphasized the importance of the bonding scheme to ensure beneficiaries return to their communities to provide essential maternal and newborn health services.