The Jigawa Maternal Accountability Forum (JiMAF) has called on the Jigawa State Government to accelerate the implementation of the 2026 health sector budget, warning that delays in funding critical health programs are undermining efforts to reduce maternal, newborn, and child mortality across the state.
The appeal is contained in the Forum’s 2026 Second Quarter (Q2) Health Sector Budget Performance Review, which assessed government spending in the health sector and tracked implementation of key programs, including Family Planning, Nutrition, and Malaria Control, issued on Wednesday by the Co-Chair of the Jigawa Maternal Accountability Forum, Isah Mustapha.
JiMAF, a coalition of civil society organizations, health professionals, traditional and religious leaders, media practitioners, development partners, government institutions, and citizens, said timely budget implementation is essential to improving healthcare delivery and achieving better health outcomes.
Supported by the Lafiya Program, the Forum conducts quarterly health budget analyses to monitor government investments, identify implementation gaps, and promote evidence-based dialogue on health financing and service delivery.
According to the report, the state’s health sector recorded only modest progress in budget implementation during the first half of 2026. Of the approved health budget of approximately N80.15 billion, only N27.49 billion had been spent by the end of June, representing 34.3 per cent performance.
The Forum noted that personnel costs accounted for the bulk of the expenditure, while capital and other recurrent spending remained significantly below expectations.
It also expressed concern that only 28 of the 98 approved capital health projects recorded any expenditure by the end of the second quarter, leaving the majority of projects without financial implementation.
JiMAF warned that the slow pace of project execution could delay the delivery of essential health infrastructure and services across the state.
The report identified Family Planning, Nutrition, and Malaria Control as the most affected programs, despite their strategic importance in reducing maternal and child mortality.
On Family Planning, the Forum observed that although N500 million was allocated under the Jigawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (JSPHCDA), no funds had been released or spent in the first six months of the year, resulting in zero budget performance.
It said the lack of funding has contributed to prolonged shortages of contraceptive commodities in public health facilities, leaving many women without access to modern family planning services and exposing them to unintended pregnancies and preventable maternal health risks.
Similarly, JiMAF reported that the state’s Nutrition Programme recorded no expenditure despite a budgetary allocation of N1.09 billion for 2026.
The Forum warned that continued delays in implementing nutrition interventions threaten efforts to reduce childhood malnutrition, stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies, and maternal undernutrition, particularly during the critical first 1,000 days of a child’s life.
On malaria control, JiMAF acknowledged the state’s progress in reducing malaria prevalence from 39.6 per cent in 2013 to 24.7 per cent in 2024 but stressed that sustained investment is needed to consolidate these gains.
It called for increased funding and timely implementation of malaria prevention and control interventions, including the procurement of essential medicines, distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC), effective case management, and intensified community awareness campaigns.
To improve budget performance, the Forum urged the Ministry of Finance and Budget Planning to ensure timely, predictable, and transparent release of funds for critical health programs.
It also called on the Ministry of Health and the Jigawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency to accelerate implementation of approved capital projects to improve healthcare delivery across the state.
Among its recommendations, JiMAF urged the government to immediately release the approved Family Planning budget to address contraceptive commodity shortages, fast-track implementation of the Nutrition Budget, and sustain investments in malaria prevention and control.
The Forum further recommended the publication of quarterly budget release and expenditure reports to strengthen transparency, accountability, and citizen oversight, while encouraging development partners and civil society organizations to continue independent budget tracking and expenditure monitoring.
JiMAF maintained that improving maternal, newborn, and child health requires more than budgetary allocations, stressing that timely release of funds, efficient implementation, transparent expenditure reporting, and sustained investment in essential health programs are critical to delivering quality healthcare.
The Forum reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Jigawa State Government, development partners, healthcare providers, the media, and citizens to strengthen accountability, improve public financial management, and accelerate progress towards universal access to quality healthcare in the state.
