By Ahmed Ahmed
The Bauchi State House of Assembly has approved a dedicated budget for health sector legislative oversight in its 2026 appropriation, marking a significant boost for accountability and effective monitoring of public health and immunization investments in the state.
The landmark decision, widely attributed to sustained advocacy by the African Health Budget Network (AHBN) and its Zero Dose Learning Hope (ZDLH) Community of Practice (CoP), was confirmed at a high-level advocacy dinner held in Bauchi.
The event was convened at the instance of the former Director-General of the National Troupes of Nigeria, Malam Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed.
In attendance were the Convener and Chief Executive Officer of AHBN, Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba; the Co-Chairman of the AHBN Board, Hon. Mohammed Usman; the AHBN Bauchi State Focal Person; and members of the Bauchi State House of Assembly.
At the meeting, lawmakers pledged to prioritize funding for oversight activities, with associated costs now formally embedded in the Assembly’s 2026 budget framework.
The development underscores AHBN’s growing influence in legislative advocacy, particularly its support for regular oversight visits to selected Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) facilities across Bauchi State.
Many of these facilities are under-resourced and face operational challenges that weaken service delivery. Enhanced legislative scrutiny is expected to improve transparency, reduce financial leakages, and strengthen primary health care services, especially for vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities.
AHBN’s advocacy drive gained additional momentum following the recent Lagos Conference jointly organized by AHBN and the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET).
The conference culminated in the Lagos Declaration, a strong call for improved health financing, accountability, and oversight nationwide.
Bauchi lawmakers who attended the conference reportedly returned reinvigorated, directly influencing the budgetary commitment announced at the advocacy dinner.
Stakeholders have described the budget integration as the beginning of a new era of proactive legislative engagement in Bauchi’s health sector, with anticipated gains in immunization coverage, facility upgrades, and more equitable allocation of health resources in line with universal health coverage goals.
