The Bauchi State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has announced plans to introduce a biometric attendance system in all health facilities, aiming to curb absenteeism and improve overall service delivery.
Dr Sani Mohammed, Commissioner for Health and Social Welfare, disclosed this on Tuesday in Bauchi while receiving members of the Advocacy for the Implementation of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Innovations in Nigeria.
He said the visit provided an opportunity to share feedback from communities on the challenges they faced in accessing healthcare services across the state.
Mohammed explained that the biometric system would enable the ministry to effectively monitor health workers’ attendance and activities, addressing long patient waiting times caused by absenteeism, late arrivals, and inefficiencies across public health facilities.
He said that delays in seeking care and reaching facilities were often beyond healthcare providers’ control, urging caregivers to plan ahead while emphasising that government alone could not resolve all challenges within the health sector.
The commissioner highlighted the state’s continued prioritisation of maternal, newborn, and child health services, revealing a special welfare package had been approved to boost health worker morale, attract more professionals, and reduce manpower shortages.
Earlier, Shamsiyya Aliyu, leader of the Advocacy Champions, outlined key community concerns, including insufficient skilled personnel, referral delays, and negative attitudes of some healthcare workers that hindered access to quality healthcare services across Bauchi State.
Aliyu said the group sought to collaborate with the ministry to promote awareness on postpartum haemorrhage, encouraged early antenatal registration, facility-based deliveries, postnatal care, and integrated MNCH innovations into the state’s healthcare system.
She added that the AIM-MNCH Consortium was implementing the project and comprised Pathfinder International Nigeria and the Africa Centre of Excellence for Population Health and Policy (ACEPHAP), both key partners in healthcare initiatives.
She further said that the consortium also included the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI) and the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN), strengthening collaboration to improve maternal, newborn, and child health services across the country.(MWAN).
