The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), representatives of the Federal Government and other stakeholders have called for renewed action to tackle the high rate of maternal deaths and improve adolescent health through the European Union Strengthening Access to Reproductive and Adolescent Health (EU-SARAH) initiative.

Speaking at the opening of the Fourth National Governance and Coordination Committee meeting on the EU-SARAH Initiative in Yola, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri said the meeting came at a critical time as governments intensify efforts to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality.

He said the Adamawa State Government had invested in human resource development through improved training, infrastructure support for the community nursing programme at the College of Nursing and Midwifery, and capacity-building initiatives for health workers across different levels of care.

According to the governor, the rollout of the Special Birth Bundle of Care performance-tracking initiative, innovative community engagement strategies and the involvement of both in-school and out-of-school adolescents as agents of change offer significant hope for improving maternal and newborn survival.

“These interventions hold great promise for improving maternal and newborn survival and strengthening health outcomes across our communities,” he said.

Fintiri commended the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for its technical guidance and oversight, as well as UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for supporting the successful implementation of the EU-SARAH project.

Earlier, Director at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Ahmed Muhammed, represented by Mrs Amina Muhammed, said the meeting came at a crucial period for Nigeria’s health sector.

“We are witnessing a shift from fragmented programmes to a more coordinated, government-led health system where every investment contributes to one national vision,” she said.

She noted that the EU-SARAH initiative focuses on strengthening integrated, gender-responsive, adolescent-friendly sexual and reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services in line with national priorities.

“It also complements other ongoing government efforts to improve sexual and reproductive health through targeted interventions in beneficiary states,” she added.

UNICEF Chief of Health, Maharajan Muthu, said Nigeria records the highest number of maternal and child deaths globally, adding that UNICEF remains committed to supporting the country in improving maternal and adolescent health outcomes.

Commissioners from the beneficiary states of Adamawa, Sokoto and Kwara, in separate goodwill messages, commended the partnership between the Federal Government and UNICEF in advancing maternal and adolescent healthcare across the country.