The Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Othman, has tasked Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD) on improved and quality information on healthcare to improve the indices of Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) in the state.
He also urged the group to amplify government programs and create demand for services.
The traditional ruler stated this while receiving members of the J4PD on an advocacy visit in Dass local Government Council on Wednesday.
J4PD is a civil society organization working in Bauchi state to promote access to public health ,water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and other developmental issues.
The Emir is the chairman of Bauchi state Emirate Committee on Health Matters.
He mentioned that maternal and child health, malnutrition and infectious diseases indices were poor and discouraging among other indicators.
Othman explained that to overcome the challenges, collective efforts must be employed to complement government efforts.
“We need J4PD to amplify government programs and create demand for services.
“Implementing partners are also doing well in various healthcare programs but some members of the benefiting communities are not aware; the group should disseminate information on such services,” he said.
Othman lauded the initiatives of J4PD for prioritizing healthcare in their reportage.
Earlier, Ms Elizabeth Carr, Coordinator J4PD, said that the group was in Dass to intimate the emir of its activities on health matters and to seek royal blessings on the activities of the group.
She said that J4PD also depended on available evidences to advocate maternal and health issues in the state
Carr announced that the group nominated the Emir as its patron.
She solicited partnership of the the state’s Social Mobilization and Task Force Committee on Health to generate demand for maternal and child Medicare.
