The Strengthening Public Accountability for Results and Knowledge (SPARK II) project implementing partners have sought active participation of various stakeholders in its multi-stakeholder dialogue session scheduled to hold later this week.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that
the Team made the call during a visit to the Immunization Officer and Chairman, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Anambra State Council, Comrade Onwuka Edith in her office.
During the visit, the SPARK II COMEN Consultant, Ugochi Ehiahuruike, explained that the dialogue session is part of the activities under the SPARK 2 project, being implemented by Justice Development and Peace Caritas (JDPC) Nnewi, in collaboration with the Community Empowerment Network (COMEN), and the Civil Rights Concern (CRC) supported by the International Budget Partnership (IBP).
“We will use the dialogue session to present the issues we found out about the primary health care system in the state especially our SPARK 2 entry point which is maternal and child health to critical stakeholders so that together we can proffer solutions to them and better our system. Again, our goal is to better the primary health care delivery system in the state”.
In 2024, the state had their health intervention outlook. So, we are looking at 2025, what it feels like and as partners, I think it’s important for us to always key into the programs of the state and then, where necessary, bring back feedback in the form of field observations.
We’ve observed most times that, government puts its perfect plans on paper in the office but during implementation, many stakeholders do not really understand what government want to achieve in different areas.
Contributing, Onyekachi Ololo, the SPARK 2 Programme Officer for JDPC Nnewi, explained that the multi-stakeholder dialogue and reflection session will bring together the 21 local government health supervisors, members of Ward Development Committees, WDCs, OICs, Directors in charge of health authorities in LGAs among others.
“Anambra State recently emerged the overall best in the 2nd Edition of the Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge Awards. We feel that this is a feat we must consolidate on. This means that more needs to be done. We must continue to work to ensure that we do not relapse. The award is as a result of the wonderful work you people are doing in different areas be it vaccination programs, immunization, etc.
During the session, we shall have a panel session to streamline some of the challenges, ask you people that are the state government actors what you think about them and how we can contribute.
Responding, the State Immunization Officer, Onwuka, expressed happiness about the by SPARK intervention in the state and the planned dialogue session, which she believed would help to address issues plaguing the health sector in the area.
“I’m an advocate of change and I’m happy to partner with you people on this because we need to bring out those things that are disturbing us. This immunization, maternal and child health, and all that needs to be addressed.
” So, bringing this type of dignitaries or stakeholders, especially health supervisors together will really help us move forward, especially now that the local governments have financial autonomy and we are hoping for more collaboration with them.
“In our office now, we involve them in most of the things we because they are the people that lead the advocacy at the local government. This time around that they have that power. Let us realize the opportunity to get things right at the local government. Because the issue has been primary health care.
“We need to work together to get the chairmen understand that management of PHCs is solely the responsibility of the local government, not the state, not the federal. They seem to still struggle with this understanding.
“If the health workers don’t have the courage to tell them, we the stakeholders will tell them what is happening at the grassroots. We will continue advocating until things get better,” Onwuke concluded assuring the visiting team of active participation during the dialogue session.
