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UNFPA and Sokoto State partner to train 500 community midwives
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
The United Nations Population Fund UNFPA and the Sokoto State Government have partnered to train 500 young women as community midwives through a scholarship scheme. This initiative aims to improve maternal healthcare and reduce mortality in rural communities. The program, called the Community Midwifery Scholarship and Bonding Scheme, will provide full scholarships to 500 beneficiaries from rural communities, with 250 enrolling in 2026 and another 250 in 2027. These trainees are expected to be deployed to underserved communities after graduation. Sokoto State Governor, Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, stated that his administration is committed to strengthening the health workforce and has already recruited over 1,500 nurses and midwives. The State Commissioner for Health, Faruk Umar, added that the scholarship scheme will help bridge the gap in skilled birth attendants. The state is also recruiting over 2,400 community health workers to enhance primary healthcare services. UNFPA also noted its family planning support, with the state's N30 million investment in child-spacing commodities matched by N50 million worth of supplies from the agency. UNFPA has earmarked over N4.6 billion for Sokoto in 2026, making it one of its highest-funded states.
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