Category: Health

Four Days in Bauchi: Inside Canada and UNICEF’s Quiet Development Diplomacy

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By Bashir Hassan Abubakar The convoy rolled into Bauchi under a pale Northern sky, but this was no routine diplomatic visit. For four days, meeting rooms, palace courtyards, dusty community squares and innovation hubs across the State became stages for a deeper conversation about development — what works, what endures, and what it truly takes to change lives. A powerful delegation from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and UNICEF Nigeria came visiting. On paper, it was a monitoring visit. In practice, it was something more layered: a test of partnerships, a…

Bauchi Govt, Partners Roll Out Statewide Free Medical Outreach

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By Bashir Hassan Abubakar Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has launched a statewide free medical outreach targeting more than 5,000 residents across Bauchi State, in a renewed push to expand access to quality healthcare services. The initiative, spearheaded by the Bauchi State Government through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, is being implemented in collaboration with the African Medical Centre of Excellence and the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital. The programme offers free specialist consultations, diagnostic screenings, cardiac evaluations, treatment, and referral services. Flagging off the outreach at…

Bauchi Pregnant Women at Risk as Micronutrient Supplements Run Out

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By: Bashir Hassan Abubakar A shortage of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) across public health facilities in Bauchi State is raising concerns among pregnant women and health advocates, who warn that the development could worsen maternal and child health outcomes. The concern surfaced during a spot assessment at a health facility in Bauchi, where pregnant and lactating women described MMS as essential for preventing iron deficiency and supporting healthy pregnancies. They cautioned that continued scarcity exposes expectant mothers to anaemia-related complications, endangering both maternal and infant health. Confirming the stock-out, Officer…

Commissioner Wanka Commiserate with Bauchi Journalists Injured on NEDC Assignment

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By: Bashir Hassan Abubakar The Bauchi State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hon. Hajara Yakubu Wanka, has commiserated with the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bauchi State Council, over a road accident involving 13 journalists in the state. The accident occurred on Friday while the journalists were on official duty covering projects commissioned by the North East Development Commission (NEDC) across parts of Bauchi State. In a statement issued by her office, Hon.Wanka described the incident as unfortunate and expressed deep concern over the safety of journalists who…

Governor Bala Mohammed Sympathises with Injured Journalists

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By: Bashir Hassan Abubakar The Bauchi State Government has expressed deep sympathy to journalists involved in a road accident along the Bauchi–Yelwan Duguri Road while on official assignment, assuring them of sustained support and quality medical care. The accident occurred on Thursday as the journalists—drawn from Channels Television, African Independent Television (AIT), Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), members of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Bauchi State Television Authority (BATV), and Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC)—were covering the commissioning of North East Development Commission (NEDC) projects by the Minister of State for Regional Development and…

Bauchi Joins Global Fight Against Cancer, Calls for Data-Driven Policy

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By Bashir Hassan Abubakar Bauchi State on Tuesday joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Cancer Day, as health experts and stakeholders called for increased investment in diagnostic centres, early detection services, and sustained government commitment to cancer control. The event, a one-day seminar organised by the Alheri YS Foundation with support from the Bauchi State Government and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, was held in Bauchi. In her welcome address, the convener of the seminar and Executive Director of Alheri YS Foundation, Ms. Alheri Yusuf…

Nigeria’s Future First: Marwa Pivots to Human-Centric War on Narcotics

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Targeting the root causes of drug trafficking, NDLEA boss Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa is calling for a unified national front to support “alternative development” in cannabis-growing regions. 1.3.4, 1.4.1 The project replaces illegal crops with lawful, high-value agriculture, designed to uplift vulnerable rural households and secure a safer future for Nigeria. 1.2.4, 1.3.8. In a statement issued Tuesday, February 3rd, by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the Agency, Femi Babafemi said NDLEA Chairman, Brig Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd) championed Africa’s first major drug control initiative. Following a successful…

UNICEF Boosts HIV Response in Bauchi with 25,000 Test Kits

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By: Bashir Hassan Abubakar The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has donated 25,000 HIV test kits to the Bauchi State Government to support efforts to curb the spread of HIV, particularly among children under the age of five. The donation, made through the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, is aimed at ensuring early testing of children to enable prompt diagnosis and commencement of treatment where necessary. Receiving the kits at the UNICEF Central Store, the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (BACATMA),…

NDLEA Intercepts ₦3bn Heroin in Coffee, Seizes Explosives, Arrests Village Head, Brazilian Lady, Others in Nationwide Crackdown

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In a sustained offensive against drug trafficking, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted ₦3bn worth of heroin concealed in coffee packs at the Abuja airport and seized a major shipment of explosives bound for Kano and Kaduna. In a nationwide clampdown that spanned Borno, Lagos, and several other states, the Agency recovered tons of illicit substances and arrested key suspects, including a Brazilian lady, an Edo village head, and a 72-year-old grandfather. Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, revealed a massive breakthroug in a…

Bauchi Crash: 9 Dead, 10 Injured

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Nine people were confirmed dead and 10 others injured in a fatal auto crash along the Jama’are–Azare axis of the Kano–Maiduguri Expressway in the early hours of Friday, January 9, 2026. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Bauchi State Command confirmed the incident through its Sector Commander, CC Apaji Danladi Boyi, during a press briefing on Friday. According to Boyi, the crash occurred at approximately 6:20 a.m. on the busy highway. According to the FRSC, “The fatal crash involved a commercial vehicle with registration number KTG 181 ZZ, conveying 19…