By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
As part of efforts to reduce maternal mortality in Kaduna State, Evidence for Action (E4A) on Wednesday, unveiled a new intervention programme in Kaduna state known as “MamaYe”.
The program being implemented by ‘Options’ a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) supported organization, aims to support accountability mechanism working around health sector in accelerating the reduction of maternal deaths in the state was unveiled during an inception meeting with Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM).
Elkana Aliyu, State Advisor, E4A, in his presentation, said the project is geared towards ensuring the best available health system data is used by the right people at the right time in the state.
He added that the project will also facilitates establishment and collaboration with multi-stakeholder accountability mechanism and equally support accountability mechanisms to transform data into easy-to-understand information.
The goal according to him is to achieve quality Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH) services for women and children in the state and Nigeria at large and other parts of Africa through a sustained accountability model that delivers prioritized Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) and Family Planning (FP) policy and financing.
Mr. Elkana, said the purpose of the meeting is to communicate E4A’s new investment approach, strategies, and anticipated outcomes to KADMAM and to also understand where KADMAM is in terms of its operations and sustainability of its interventions.
“E4A has strengthened accountability through a catalytic approach that supports advocates to forge stronger relationships with decision-makers, use and package evidence, and navigate political interests to enter and work within decision making spaces.
“This fosters active and inclusive participation of citizens in governance, with those most affected by poor public services influencing policy decisions. Where advocates are equipped with the right evidence at the right time, this contributes to increased resourcing for high-quality primary health care services, specifically maternal and newborn health (MNH) and family planning (FP).
“Our Impact and Learning Study, case studies and advocates’ stories, show that the E4A’s accountability model delivers vital improvements in RMNCH services. Under this reinvestment E4A will support coalitions to take on full ownership for this model, transitioning away from E4A’s support and expanding their ability to adapt to changes in context.” He noted.
He said through the MamaYe project, it is expected that a resilient State Level Accountability Mechanisms (SLAMs) actioning unique transition plans and advocating in support of priority issues (FP, MNCH, PHC) in target geographies, will be built.
“Increased salience of gender-responsive approaches to RMNCH included in policy agendas and budgets of governments and health services in target geographies. E4A is a sustainable, African-led project, providing demand driven technical assistance to local partners.
“SLAMs access ‘seed funding’ through our flexible funding model, advocate peer support, and SLAMs transition plans. Training SLAMs to advocate for actions that are responsive to gender-based root causes of poor access and RMNCAH service provision. SLAMs diversify their governance and membership structures and integration of gender transformative approaches in Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) tools.”
Citizen Co-chair of KADMAM, Alhaji Mustapha Jumare, noted that the mechanism is fully ready and committed to work with the MamaYe project.
According to him, “we are quite privilege to have MamaYe engaged with us, we have noted some of our areas of weaknesses. We are so glad that it will strengthen the structural position of KADMAM in the midst of coalitions generally.
“I believe that we will work hard to meet up with their own terms so that we reduce the maternal mortality in Kaduna state because the entire concept is trying to reduce the maternal mortality in the 23 LGAs in Kaduna state, off cause KADMAM have been working on that.
“And now that we have an organization that’s here to support Kaduna state and is willing to work with KADMAM, we will ensure that membership of KADMAM works hard to see that maternal mortality is reduced in Kaduna state.”
