Gombe Ministry of Health, Pathfinder International partner to develop CIP
The Gombe State Ministry of Health supported by Pathfinder International has today launched the state Child Spacing Costed Implementation Plan (CIP) from 2022 to 2026.
Launching the Plan at the Madugu Guest Hotel, on behalf of the State Government, Commissioner for Health Dr. Habu Dahiru, said it was the collaborative effort of stakeholders, partners and Gombe State Government driving the seat that the costed plan was produced.
He said, “the plan was developed to provide policy direction to improving the health status of women in Gombe State and recommended the use of it by all stakeholders during planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Child birth spacing services during period covered by the document.”
The Commissioner said Governor Inuwa Yahaya under his programme to achieve universal health coverage had put special emphasis and commitment to Child birth spacing services.
He added that child birth spacing is one of the cheapest and easiest way to improve maternal and child health and it is through improvement of the maternal and child health that the over all goal of universal health coverage will be achieved.
Also speaking, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Adamu Danladi said child birth spacing also improves family and community welfare and also attainment of the sustainable development goals.
Also, Director Public Health, Dr David Karatu said Child birth spacing practice is a critical health intervention that contributes to health development globally citing countries like India and China who have controlled births .
The Media and Communications Officer Pathfinder International Bayo Ewuola said the plan, outline activities that would be operational for a particular time and commended the Gombe State government for providing the enabling environment to develop the plan.
He said the plan should be owned by all stakeholders to see for it implementation.
Some partners who spoke during the launch include the representative of World Health Organization WHO and The Challenge Initiative TCI called for synergy to improve the health indices of Gombe State.
They assured continued support to achieve the desired goal.
On his part, The Chairman of the Advocacy working group, Alhassan Yahaya said the plan if properly implemented would help to improve the Gombe Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR).
He appreciated journalists and religious leaders in the state for the enlightenment programmes in their respective platforms saying it has improved the uptake of child birth spacing services.
He said the Advocacy working group is not advocating that women stop giving birth but that the birth is spaced for the woman, and child’s health and husband social economic well being.
The Gombe State Costed Implementation Plan for child birth spacing is a road map that provides direction for significantly increasing the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of the state’s child birth spacing response.
It seeks to guide effort in increasing access and uptake and ultimately achieving increased contraceptive prevalence rate of modern methods with a chain effect of reduced maternal and early child morbidity and mortality.
