Sokoto Deploys 1,500 Health Workers to Rural Areas to Tackle Care Gap
Hussaini Ibrahim 
SOKOTO, Nigeria – Sokoto State has deployed more than 1,500 nurses and midwives to underserved communities in a major push to close healthcare access gaps in rural areas, Governor Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto announced.
The initiative, unveiled on Tuesday at the 8th Sokoto State Council on Health, forms part of the administration’s strategy to strengthen primary healthcare and improve maternal and child health outcomes.
Aliyu said the workers have already been posted across rural communities, supported by incentives including a 10 per cent rural allowance and a newly introduced two-year mandatory service policy.
“This policy is designed to guarantee that all communities… have access to qualified healthcare workers,” he said.
The state is also planning to recruit an additional 2,400 community health workers in collaboration with national partners, further expanding coverage at the grassroots level.
Officials acknowledged persistent gaps in key health indicators, noting that workforce shortages remain a major barrier to achieving universal health coverage.
The programme has received backing from development partners including the United Nations Population Fund, which described the rural deployment policy as a critical step toward equitable healthcare access.
Experts say sustained investment in workforce development will be key to improving outcomes in hard-to-reach communities.
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