By Agbo Christian Obiora
KADUNA, Nigeria – June 25, 2025 — In what has been hailed as a monumental stride toward health equity, the Kaduna State Government, in collaboration with key development partners, has unveiled a Costed Implementation Plan (CIP) for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services that is inclusive of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)—a move that has drawn high praise from the disability community.
At a stakeholder dissemination meeting held in Kaduna, representatives of disability-focused organizations and advocacy groups expressed profound satisfaction and hope over the new plan, describing it as a “dream come true” and a “long-awaited policy breakthrough” that finally integrates the needs and voices of persons with disabilities into the state’s health development agenda.
The plan, developed through Kaduna State’s Ministry of Health with strategic support from international development partners such as Sightsavers and Lafiya, is set to guide inclusive service delivery in SRH from 2024 to 2027, with a projected cost of approximately ₦33 billion.
“This Document Represents Our Voices and Dreams”
Speaking to journalists after the dissemination meeting, Riskat Muhammed, Executive Director of the Women with Disabilities Self Reliance Foundation, could barely contain her joy.
“This is not one of those policies done for us without us,” she said passionately. “We were there every step of the way—from the advocacy, through the policy formulation, to the unveiling of this document. This document represents our voices and our dreams.”
Muhammed emphasized that the disability community’s active participation ensures that the implementation phase will not go unmonitored.
“We will keep engaging. We will make sure the government listens and responds to the lived realities of women with disabilities,” she added.
A Turning Point for Inclusive Healthcare Access
Echoing Muhammed’s sentiments, Salome Net, Executive Director of the Heart to Heart Foundation for Inclusive Education, described the development as historic.
“The CIP is not just a policy document—it is a life-changing intervention,” she said. “For the first time, our community is being seen and heard. Different clusters of persons with disabilities were involved, and all our needs—mobility, communication, privacy, and dignity—have been captured.”
“To be part of this launch is emotional for many of us. For too long, access to sexual and reproductive health services has been a battleground of exclusion for people with disabilities,” she added.
Government: “Access to SRH is a Right, Not a Privilege”
Addressing participants, the Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Umma Ahmed, in a statement delivered by Naomi Kukah, Deputy Director of Nursing Services, reiterated the government’s commitment to inclusion.
“Access to sexual and reproductive health is not a privilege. It is a right—and that right must extend to everyone, especially to those who have historically been left behind,” she stated.
The Commissioner described the CIP as a robust policy document that reflects the principles of inclusion, participation, accountability, and sustainability. She emphasized that the plan was not only based on data analysis and expert consultations but was deeply rooted in the lived experiences and insights of PWDs themselves.
What the Plan Entails: Funding, Focus, and Forward Thinking
According to Mohammed Liman, a consultant who supported the development of the CIP, the plan outlines strategic actions, allocates resources, and sets priorities to ensure that PWDs gain equitable access to reproductive and sexual health services across the state.
Liman revealed that of the ₦33 billion projected budget for the three-year plan, a significant ₦21 billion will go toward upgrading physical infrastructure across health facilities to remove structural barriers impeding access for PWDs.
“One of the most significant barriers to SRH access is physical—ramps, signage, accessible consultation rooms are lacking. Another is communication—healthcare workers need training to communicate effectively with people with hearing, visual, intellectual, and psychosocial disabilities,” he explained.
Development Partners: Supportive, But Government-led
Anita Gyom, Programme Director for Neglected Tropical Diseases at Sightsavers, underlined the role of development partners as enablers rather than drivers.
“Our role is to demonstrate that the implementation of inclusive health systems is not only possible—it’s necessary. While we are supporting some components, the broader responsibility for success lies with the state government,” she said.
Gyom praised the Kaduna State Government for taking bold leadership in developing the CIP, calling it a model for other states and countries to emulate.
Hope for the Future: A Template for National Adoption
The launch of the inclusive CIP comes at a time when access to health services for persons with disabilities in Nigeria remains grossly inadequate, despite national and international commitments such as the Disability Act and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
This bold initiative by Kaduna is now being looked at as a potential national model, signaling a shift in how disability issues are integrated into mainstream governance and development.
For PWDs in Kaduna and across Nigeria, the plan represents more than just a policy—it is a recognition of humanity, dignity, and equal rights.
Final Word
As the world intensifies its pursuit of universal health coverage and rights-based development, Kaduna State has taken a bold and inclusive step forward—proving that when persons with disabilities are involved, not just as beneficiaries but as co-creators of policy, lasting and meaningful change becomes possible.
With implementation now set to begin, all eyes will be on Kaduna to lead by example—and for other states to follow.
#InclusiveHealth #KadunaCIP #DisabilityRights #SRHR #PWDsMatter
