By Sunday Ogli, Makurdi
The Benue State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing maternal mortality and improving adolescent sexual and reproductive health through targeted community-based interventions.
To advance this goal, the state has launched a Big Sister Mentorship Training under the Access to Comprehensive Care and Essential Support Services (ACCESS) Programme.
Speaking at the opening of the training on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) and referral linkage services in Gwer-West and Okpokwu Local Government Areas, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ejeh-Ogwuche, described the initiative as a strategic, community-driven effort to strengthen grassroots healthcare systems.
He explained that the programme is designed to equip selected “Big Sisters” with the knowledge, skills, and leadership capacity to serve as peer educators, mentors, and community health mobilisers.
According to him, the initiative addresses persistent barriers—cultural, social, and geographic—that often prevent adolescents from accessing essential healthcare services.
“The Big Sister model directly tackles these challenges by investing in trusted community women who can influence health decisions at the household and community levels,” he said.
Ogwuche noted that the programme, implemented in collaboration with development partners including WCAHealth, Solina, and Ipas, focuses on empowering communities through education, mentorship, and improved access to healthcare services.
He added that the intervention specifically targets adolescent girls and young women, addressing key drivers of maternal mortality such as unsafe abortions, teenage pregnancies, and limited access to reproductive health information.
Participants in the training will receive comprehensive instruction on adolescent sexual and reproductive health, family planning, maternal and newborn care, nutrition, hygiene, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, as well as early identification and referral of reproductive health complications.
The commissioner urged participants to actively engage in the training and cascade the knowledge gained to their communities, expressing confidence that the initiative would improve health-seeking behaviour and strengthen linkages between communities and healthcare facilities.
He emphasised that the programme aligns with the state government’s broader agenda to revitalise primary healthcare and improve access to RMNCAH services, while also contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and Goal 5 (Gender Equality).
Ogwuche further assured that the ministry remains committed to providing an enabling environment for partners, strengthening health systems, and supporting innovative community-based solutions to improve health outcomes across the state.
