The Kaduna State Government has introduced a new policy and guidelines for Traditional Birth Attendants alongside a nutrition strategy aimed at improving maternal, newborn and child health across the state.
The documents, comprising the State Traditional Birth Attendant Policy, TBA Guidelines and Social and Behaviour Change Strategy for Nutrition Across the Life Course, were launched in Kaduna at an event attended by government officials, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, community representatives and other health-sector stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Umma Ahmed, who represented Governor Uba Sani, described the initiative as another step towards improving maternal, newborn, child, adolescent and nutrition outcomes in the state.
She said the TBA policy and guidelines would provide a framework for regulating TBAs, clarifying their responsibilities, strengthening referral systems and improving collaboration between traditional birth attendants and formal healthcare providers.
The framework will focus on promoting safe pregnancy and childbirth, identifying danger signs early, ensuring timely referrals and encouraging greater use of skilled healthcare services.
Ahmed acknowledged the continued role of TBAs in communities, particularly among women who face challenges accessing health facilities. She, however, stressed that their activities must be properly regulated, with the safety of mothers and newborns remaining the priority.
She said the government was intensifying efforts to prevent maternal and newborn deaths by ensuring pregnant women are identified early, linked to quality antenatal care and encouraged to deliver under the supervision of skilled health professionals.
Nutrition Strategy Targets Families Across Life Stages
The commissioner said the new nutrition strategy would promote improved maternal nutrition, exclusive breastfeeding, appropriate complementary feeding, adolescent nutrition and healthier practices throughout different stages of life.
Ahmed warned that the success of the policies would depend on effective implementation and urged stakeholders to turn the documents into practical tools.
“I sincerely hope these documents will not remain on our shelves. They must become practical tools that guide our daily work and improve health outcomes for the people of Kaduna State,” she said.
Also speaking, UNICEF Chief of Kaduna Field Office, Dr Gerida Birukila, highlighted the importance of behavioural change in tackling malnutrition and preventable deaths.
Birukila commended the involvement of traditional and religious leaders, saying their influence could help families adopt healthier practices.
She urged stakeholders to intensify advocacy for exclusive breastfeeding, particularly amid continued commercial promotion of breastmilk substitutes.
The UNICEF official called on community leaders and health stakeholders to ensure parents receive accurate information on breastfeeding and nutrition from conception through the first 1,000 days of a child’s life and beyond.
She noted that adequate food availability in a household does not necessarily guarantee good nutrition, as poor feeding practices can leave children malnourished even in financially stable families.
Birukila also acknowledged the continued influence of TBAs and urged them to understand their limitations, recognise warning signs during pregnancy and childbirth and promptly refer women to appropriate health facilities.
She said the ultimate goal was to improve care for pregnant women and give mothers and children across Kaduna State better chances of survival, healthy growth and development.
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