Kaduna Mobile Outreach Break Decades of Health Service Neglect in Tsohuwar Mashe Hard-to-Reach Community

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

A mobile health outreach supported by UNICEF has for the first time brought comprehensive medical services directly to Tsohuwar Mashe community in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, ending what residents describe as over a decade of neglect in healthcare access.

The intervention delivered immunisation, tuberculosis screening, malaria treatment, nutrition support, and maternal and child health services to the remote settlement, which health officials classify as a “zero-dose” community with low immunisation coverage.

For Habiba Abubakar, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for Tuberculosis, Leprosy, and Buruli Ulcer Disease Control Programme at the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, the outreach is a critical response to long-standing access gaps.

“This is a hard-to-reach community where access to services is very difficult. We have to go far, and that is why we are here—to ensure mothers and children get access to healthcare,” she said.

She warned that low immunisation uptake leaves communities vulnerable to multiple disease outbreaks, stressing that the outreach targets children under five, mothers, the elderly, and anyone in need of screening and care.

Also speaking, Dinesh Agrawal, Chief, Decision Support in the SRM Section at UNICEF Headquarters in New York, described the initiative as a practical example of healthcare innovation.

“I feel it’s amazing to see a truck with so many facilities built in. This is health services going to the community, and people can easily access it. It’s brilliant,” he said.

He praised the collaboration between government, communities, and UNICEF, saying the partnership is already producing visible impact in improving lives.

“The partnership is very visible, and you can see we are making a difference in the lives of children and everyone around,” he added.

For the community, the outreach marked a long-awaited breakthrough.

Village Head of Tsohuwar Mashe, Mr. Luka Mashi, said it was the first time such a medical intervention had reached the village.

“Frankly speaking, this is the first time in our history that something like this is coming to our village. We only hear about it in neighbouring communities,” he said, urging residents to take full advantage of the services.

He noted that residents previously travelled up to 18 kilometres to access basic healthcare, calling the outreach a major relief.

Similarly, Mrs. Nike Okedere, Women Leader of Angwan Mashe Tsohuwar, described the outreach as historic, saying she mobilised women through house-to-house visits and community platforms after receiving alerts from traditional leadership.

She said both women networks and children were used to spread awareness, resulting in strong turnout.

“Honestly speaking, I was very excited. Since I came here 13 years ago, nothing like this has ever happened in this community,” she said.

Okedere added that long distances to health facilities between 15 and 18 kilometres, have made healthcare access difficult, calling for sustained or permanent services in the area.

The outreach is part of broader efforts to expand healthcare delivery to hard-to-reach and underserved communities across Kaduna State, particularly those with low immunisation coverage and high vulnerability to preventable diseases.