Sokoto Launches 75 Healthcare Centers for Safe Deliveries

On Thursday, Sokoto State Governor Ahmadu Aliyu flagged off the third phase of the Safe Delivery Initiative, inaugurating 75 upgraded primary healthcare centers across the state's 23 local government areas. This initiative is part of efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates, with a target of ensuring that 244 primary healthcare centers become fully compliant by December 2026.

Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, the Commissioner for Health, described the initiative as a significant step toward providing every pregnant woman in Sokoto with access to quality maternal healthcare.

The newly inaugurated centers have met national readiness requirements, bringing the total number of compliant facilities to 92. The initiative is funded without new taxes or donor liabilities, relying instead on better management of existing health sector resources.

Dr. Yusuf Abu Abdulkarim, Director General of the Sokoto State Healthcare Management Agency, noted that 17,100 pregnant women are already enrolled in the program, which aims to cover 157,000 beneficiaries, including vulnerable women and children.