The Kwara State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing maternal and child mortality by addressing gaps in healthcare service delivery and strengthening reproductive health interventions across the state.

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

Dr El-Imam said the review provided an opportunity to assess the performance of the health sector, identify priority areas and develop practical strategies to improve health outcomes across the state.

She acknowledged the progress recorded in key health indicators but stressed the need to sustain interventions in areas requiring improvement, particularly intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp), facility-based deliveries and postnatal care utilisation.

According to the commissioner, the identified gaps align with the priorities of the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), HOPE-PHC and the state's Annual Operational Plan, noting that future government interventions would be guided by the review's recommendations.

Dr El-Imam also highlighted the state's achievements in reproductive health, revealing that teenage pregnancy in Kwara remains below both the regional and national averages due to sustained reproductive health programmes.

She urged stakeholders to review available evidence and provide practical, data-driven recommendations that would strengthen healthcare delivery, reduce maternal and child deaths and accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Earlier, the State Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Coordinator, Dr Abdulqadri Ahmed, described the Joint Annual Review as a strategic platform for evaluating the performance of the health sector.

He explained that the exercise brings together departments, agencies and programmes under the Ministry of Health to assess achievements, identify challenges and agree on priority actions for the coming year.

According to him, the review relies on available data to identify service delivery gaps and develop evidence-based strategies for improving healthcare outcomes across the state.

Traditional rulers, including the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Ohoro of Shao and Mogaji Aare of Ilorin, pledged their continued support for government health initiatives through sustained community mobilisation and public sensitisation, particularly on the prevention of teenage pregnancy.

The event featured presentations on the health sector's performance, interactive discussions, question-and-answer sessions and the validation of key findings and recommendations by the Ministry's management.