The Kwara State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing teenage pregnancies and improving maternal and child health outcomes through sustained investments in healthcare and strategic partnerships with development organisations.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Ahmed El-Imam, stated this during the two-day finalisation meeting for the 2026 Joint Annual Review (JAR) of the health sector held in Ilorin.

She said the state government, working with development partners, has implemented several interventions to tackle teenage pregnancy and child marriage, including community sensitisation programmes aimed at improving maternal and child health indicators.

According to the commissioner, Kwara has recorded significant progress in maternal healthcare and family planning as a result of sustained reforms and investments by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's administration.

"These reforms have focused on infrastructure development, primary healthcare revitalisation, human resource strengthening, health insurance expansion and aggressive disease control programmes," she said.

Dr El-Imam described the Joint Annual Review as an important platform for assessing performance, strengthening accountability, promoting learning and setting priorities for the health sector.

She noted that the institutionalisation of the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) has improved planning, coordination and collaboration among stakeholders across the state's healthcare system.

On maternal and newborn health, the commissioner said the government has prioritised training for frontline health workers and strengthened referral systems through initiatives such as the State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (SEMSAS) and the Referral System for Maternal and Newborn Health (RESMAT).

She explained that the interventions are aimed at reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths across Kwara State.

Dr El-Imam also highlighted government investments in the Children Specialist Hospital, Centre Igboro, as well as the expansion of midwifery training institutions to strengthen specialised healthcare services and increase the state's health workforce capacity.

She disclosed that Kwara recorded impressive malaria case management performance, with Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) treatment rates ranging between 97 and 100 per cent across all 16 local government areas.

Despite the achievements, the commissioner identified low uptake of Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy (IPTp), limited facility-based deliveries and inadequate postnatal care utilisation as areas requiring further attention.

She said these challenges align with priorities outlined under the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), HOPE-PHC and the state's Annual Operational Plan, which will guide future interventions.

Dr El-Imam urged stakeholders to provide evidence-based recommendations that would further reduce maternal and child mortality while accelerating progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the state.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, the State SWAp Coordinator, Ola Ahmed, explained that the annual review assessed the health sector's performance over the past year by identifying achievements, gaps and areas requiring improvement.

He said the findings would guide planning for 2027 and support efforts to consolidate gains while addressing identified challenges to improve healthcare delivery across the state.

"The finalisation meeting marks the end of this year's review process, while implementation of recommendations will continue," he said.

In separate goodwill messages, the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Oba Ismail Yahaya Alebiosu, and the Ohoro of Shao, Dr Johnson Atolagbe Obalowu, commended the state government for its commitment to improving healthcare.

The traditional rulers pledged continued support for government health initiatives through public enlightenment and community engagement, with particular emphasis on preventing teenage pregnancy.