Challenge Initiative TCI, Partners, close out child spacing intervention in Adamawa
Adamawa State Government, in partnership with the Challenge Initiative TCI, has held the close out ceremony for the family planning intervention by partners, which led to the addition of 69,000 new family planning up-takers during the three-year project and transitioned into a sustainability phase, with a loud applause from relevant stakeholders who heaped encomiums on the TCI for a job well done.
Bridget Adeniran, was at the City Green Hotel in Jimeta-Yola, venue of the event, here is her report.
After a roll out of the family planning program in January 2023, the program covered 9 local government areas, Yola North, Girei, Demsa, Fufore, Gombi, Mubi North, Michika and Maiha and by September 2025, over 69,000 new users were recorded.
However, it is the closeout ceremony, for the project and the Adamawa Government played its part with purchase of the products.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Human Services, Pharmacist Zira Bubanani, says the State is happy with the impact.
“Spacing our children is not a matter of reducing the population, but for the good health of our people”
The Chief of Party TCI, Dr. Taiwo Johnson, was represented by the Senior Technical Advisor TCI, Dr. Dorcas Akila, She says Adamawa made great strides, but can still do more to sustain the tempo, by making family planning services accessible to everyone as the State has over 1.2 million women of child bearing age, and more than half of that number, do n ot use healthcare facilities for their pregnancy and spacing needs.
Within the last 3 years starting in January 2023 till now, you have contributed 69,000 women
One of the highlight of the event, was the decoration of several family planning champions, across the health sector, religious bodies and the traditional institutions in Adamawa, for their tireless efforts.
Ubandoma Adamawa, was honoured, he was represented by Village head Lainde, Sanusi Ahmad, capturing the crucial role played by the traditional institution in disseminating the message in Adamawa, while Usaku FM’s reportage was acknowledged, the General Manager Markus Timawus Mathias, was represented by the head of News and Current Affairs Ephraim Okpanachi.
There were several speeches that dotted the occasion. The Chairman of The Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), represented by Vice Chairman Rev. Victor Saje, and the Muslim Council, represented by the State Secretary Barrister Bashir Tahir, all spoke glowingly of TCI.
REV. SAJE-“We will continue to be here to support this program so that we would get bigger successes at the end of the day”
BAR. TAHIR “To have a bumper harvest, you need at least three good things, a good rain, a good plot and you need to have a good seed. TCI happens to be the rain”
The Family planning media forum in Adamawa, led by its Chairman Samamo Dedan, also recalled a long but successful journey
TCI has made impact in Adamawa, very resilient, focused, dedicated
Other Stakeholders were equally full of praise for the work done by the Challenge Initiative TCI, the Development Communications DEVCOMS , the State Government and partners as well as the family planning media forum in the State.
With the project now over, focus shifts to sustainability.