By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Not fewer than 4900 pregnant women have been transported to various health facilities across Bauchi Sate for free medical services including skilled birth delivery under the State Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (SEMSAS).
The disclosure was made by SEMSAS Consultant for Bauchi State, Dr Aminu Tukur Sulaiman, while speaking at a town hall meeting in Dass, organised to sensitise Triage Officers and Mama2Mama support group from the ten federal wards in the Local Government Area on free emergency transportation for pregnant women and newborn babies.
According to him, “So far, so good, across the 11 LGAs in the State that are piloting the programme, we have transported 4,900 women. So only 100 that remains to cover our 5,000. Our target is to reach 5,000 before we get to the safe mama application.”
He however stressed that,”But, if you still compare it to the rate of delivery and rate of emergencies, we are still below, below capacity. It has been different in some states, they get into 7,000, 8,000, but we are still yet to get to the 5,000 number.”
He explained that the sensitisation was to acquaint the Triage Officers with the digital platform that is coming into use effective March 1st 2026, as well as to strengthen collaboration with members of the Mama2Mama group.
He further explained that the initiative, known as the Save Mama Digital Platform, enables emergency requests to be lodged for prompt response from the call centre using the nearest registered vehicle to reach patients.
Save Mama is being implemented under the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovative Initiative through the Rural Emergency Service and Maternal Transport (RESMAT) project designed to support mothers and newborns.
Aminu Sulaiman also explained that the programme provides a dedicated phone line for women to contact a Triage Officer in their various wards or the central call centre in Abuja, describe their location and receive quick transportation to take them to health facility.
According to him, the programme was introduced by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, aimed at reducing maternal and newborn deaths, with about 272 LGAs across the country benefiting in the pilot scheme.
He also said the programme commenced in June 2025 and has enrolled a number of drivers through the NURTW who are always ready to go to the house of the caller in order to transport her to the nearest health Centre.
He however lamented that inspite of the programme, attendance at the health facilities for skilled attention has remained very discouraging appealing to the women to take advantage of it.
According to him, “No pregnant woman should die for carrying pregnancy, no child should die because of lack of attention which is only available and accessible at the health facilities.
The Dass LGA MCH Coordinator, Hajiya Aisha said that,”So we are here, this a special programme for women and children aimed at reducing maternal mortality and child morbidly rate in the LGA.”
She appreciated the efforts of Federal Government and the State Government for having the state to be among the piloted states just as She also appreciated the inclusion of Dass LGA for the programme.
She stressed that,”In fact, before the start of the programme, we are having so many issues for maternal services, like low turnover of ANC and having so many problems with women with pregnancies, like pre-eclampsia and anemia and also high BP.”
She added that, “But for this programme, we have so many Triage Officers that are going into the communities and the emergency transport system, that are allocated in each and every ward. So those people are the ones that are bringing those women that are having all these problems. And also when they are going to have something like, or when they are having labor pains, they are taking them from the community into the hospital for free deliveries and free services.”
On the issue of MMS, the MCH Coordinator stated that,”We have so many community resource persons that are mobilizing pregnant women, also by creating awareness. Also in the community, they are referring them to the hospitals. And in our health facilities, we are having these MMS free services and for routine drugs. I can say routine drugs for antenatal care also is free.”
According to her, “Delivery services in some health facilities are free because we are having 31 main PHCs, but for Federal Government programme for women, we are having it in 10 Wards. So those 10 wards, they are conducting free services for ANC and delivery.”
One of the Triage Officer, Bara’atu Abubakar from Wandi Ward, said that they are serving as intermediaries, linking the beneficiaries with service providers for timely emergency response.
A pregnant woman, Rahina Aliyu, described the initiative as timely considering the prevailing economic situation and expressed appreciation to both federal and state governments for sustaining the programme.
She stressed that the introduction of the MMS has really helped in reducing the stress associated with pregnancy calling on all pregnant women in the LGA to avail themselves of the opportunity of the free services.
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