By FAIZA ABUBAKAR, Kaduna

The Maternal Accountability Mechanism in Kaduna Initiative (KADMAM) has called for stronger implementation, accountability and sustainability of the Kaduna State Free Maternal and Child Healthcare (FMCH) Policy to improve access to quality healthcare for women and children.

The call was made on Wednesday July 15th, 2026, during a policy engagement on the status of the FMCH Policy held at the KADMAM office in Kaduna, bringing together officials of the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board (KSPHCB), development partners, civil society organisations and the media.

Speaking at the event, KADMAM Co-Chair (CSO), Garba Muhammad, said the engagement was convened to obtain an official update on the implementation of the policy, understand its achievements and challenges, and jointly identify practical solutions to strengthen its delivery.

He said the forum was not organised to criticise government but to promote constructive dialogue and evidence-based advocacy.

“We are here to better understand the current status of the FMCH Policy, appreciate the progress that has been made, identify implementation challenges where they exist, and jointly explore practical ways of ensuring that the policy continues to deliver quality healthcare services to women, children and vulnerable families across Kaduna State,” he said.

Muhammad commended the Kaduna State Ministry of Health and the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board for their openness to engaging citizens and civil society, describing collaboration as essential to achieving Universal Health Coverage.

He said KADMAM remained committed to promoting evidence-based advocacy, citizen participation and accountability in health governance, noting that effective implementation of health policies requires sustained partnership among government, development partners, civil society, communities and the media.

Presenting an overview of the FMCH Policy, the Director of Community Health Services, Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, Hajiya Nafisa Musa Isah, said the free healthcare programme was introduced in 2006 to accelerate progress in reducing maternal and child mortality by providing free treatment for pregnant women and children under five years.

She explained that government subsequently reviewed the policy after recognising implementation challenges and constituted a multi-sectoral committee to examine its effectiveness and recommend reforms.

According to her, the review identified key challenges, including inadequate financing, non-availability of life-saving medicines, drug procurement bottlenecks, outdated policy provisions, weak management structures and situations where beneficiaries still pay for some services despite the free care policy.

She said the committee recommended a comprehensive review of the policy, stronger monitoring and accountability mechanisms, improved coordination among implementing agencies, periodic policy assessment, wider public awareness, adoption of more equitable beneficiary selection criteria and integration of commodity supply into the state's One Supply Chain system.

Participants at the meeting also discussed implementation gaps and agreed on the need for sustained collaboration among government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and the media to ensure the policy achieves its intended objectives.

The engagement ended with stakeholders agreeing to develop priority action points and follow-up commitments aimed at strengthening implementation of the FMCH Policy and improving maternal, newborn and child health outcomes across Kaduna State.