Sokoto to Recruit 2,400 Health Workers to Strengthen Rural Healthcare

Governor of Sokoto State, Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the health sector as the state moves to recruit 2,400 community health workers to improve service delivery across rural communities.

The recruitment is part of broader reforms aimed at expanding access to quality healthcare, particularly in underserved areas where medical personnel and facilities remain limited, the governor said on Tuesday.

He spoke at the 8th Sokoto State Council on Health meeting, organised by the state government in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other development partners.

He said his administration had already taken steps to boost the health workforce, including the deployment of more than 1,500 nurses and midwives to rural areas under a mandatory posting policy.

According to him, partnerships with development agencies remain critical to achieving sustainable improvements in healthcare delivery and reducing preventable deaths in the state.

Mr. Faruk Umar, the Commissioner for Health explained that the health council meeting, which had not been held for several years, provides a platform for reviewing progress, addressing challenges, and improving coordination in the sector.

He also announced that Sokoto State, in partnership with UNFPA, is implementing a Community Midwifery Scholarship and Bonding Scheme to train young women as community midwives to support maternal healthcare in rural areas.

Under the scheme, beneficiaries from rural communities will be fully sponsored and later deployed to underserved areas after graduation, with training scheduled in phases across 2026 and 2027.

A UNFPA representative said the intervention is aimed at increasing the availability of skilled birth attendants and improving access to maternal and child healthcare services at the grassroots level.

The agency also highlighted its ongoing family planning support in the state, noting that a N30 million government investment in child spacing commodities was matched with N50 million worth of supplies from UNFPA.

Participants at the meeting urged a comprehensive response to improve maternal and child health outcomes in Sokoto.

They highlighted the need for a combination of increased staffing, specialized training, and better access to medical commodities to bridge the healthcare gap in rural areas.