FCDO, GIZ meet Gombe MNCH Coalition
By Chima Azubuike
Gombe Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH), on Wednesday met with representatives from the German International Cooperation (GIZ) – Backup health intervention in collaboration with the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Periscope Nigeria reports that the international organisations which support health sector strengthening was led by Mr. Dave McConolough and Dr. Bashir Mahmoud, were in Gombe state to identify successes recorded as well as challenges encountered during the course of implementation of its support.
The group also held separate meetings with Commissioner for Health Dr. Habu Dahiru, Gombe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (GoHealth) Team lead Dr. Abubakar Musa, and Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency (GSPHCDA) Executive Secretary Dr. Shuaibu Abdulrahaman.
Speaking during a brainstorming session held at Conference room of Budget Planning and Development Partner Coordination, Chairman of MNCH Coalition in Gombe, Alhassan Yahya, took the team through the various involvements of Civil Society Organisations.
He disclosed that the Coalition also comprised of media practitioners, who are instrumental in engaging government and ensuring much needed results.
Yahya enumerated the sensitisation programmes embarked on by various media houses, which was geared towards amplifying the issues in the health sector.
He noted that health financing was imperative, while urging private sector participation towards ensuring Universal Health Coverage (UMC), especially for poor and vulnerable.
The team was ushered in by Special Adviser to the Gombe State Governor on Budget Planning and Development Partner Coordination Dr. Ishiyaku Mohammed, alongside Dr. Suraj Abdulkarim, Project Manager of Gombe State AIDS Agency, who made presentation on its current efforts.
The duo of McConolough (FCDO) and Mahmoud (GIZ), explained that they were in Gombe to supervise and evaluate implementation and activities in the state health sector.
They opined that the team’s meeting was geared towards reviewing policy documents of relevant MDAs and supervision of facilities under the technical guide
Our Correspondent reports that part of the issues highlighted during the brainstorming include; Human Resources rage, as well as enrolment of more poor and vulnerable into the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and so on.
