By Iliya Kure
Executive Director of Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe has expressed appreciation to Civil Society Organisations working in the state for their role in pushing child spacing agenda forward and ensuring that quality services are delivered at health facilities.
Balarabe was addressing a meeting of Family Planning Advocacy Stakeholders in Kaduna on galvanising efforts towards releasing state budgeted funds for family planning commodities and consumables.
Represented by the State Reproductive Health Coordinator, Cecelia Markus, The Executive Director expressed the hope that the “meeting will strategise and galvanise efforts at strengthening all advocacy efforts on release of FP budget line for effective result in Kaduna state.”
While recognising effort by various stakeholders at different levels, Mrs. Balarabe said, “You may recall NURHI 2 made a wonderful presentation to His Excellency at the State Executive Council meeting on the need to allocate fund for FP services in Kaduna State. I am happy to inform you today that all your efforts at various levels, making advocacy to State and Local Government, Traditional and Religious leader, have yielded result, we are today celebrating the success.
“I must confess that now FP services in the State is taking a new positive direction. I must commend all those that contributed to this success. I know is a labour of many years and the final knock on the nail was by NURHI1 and NURHI 2. NURHI deserves our appreciation and commendations.”
Earlier, Chairman of FHANI, Mal. Shehu Usman Mohammed, praised Governor Nasir El-Rufai for the creation of the Child Spacing budget line in the 2017 appropriation.
“FHANI appreciates the State Governor, Mal Nasir Ahmed El Rufa’i for allocating N100 million in this year’s budget for the procurement of Child Spacing commodities and consumables. We request for prompt release of the funds, so that women will access services at zero kobo,”
He also congratulated the state for ensuring the effective take-off of the Primary Healthcare Under One Roof, through the establishment of Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SPHCDA).
The chairman called on Civil Society Organisations in Kaduna to work at pulling their advocacy efforts together for greater impact.
“Now that Child Spacing Unit is appropriately situated in the SPHCDA and we are all set to move our CPR forward, I am calling on all CSOs to work together towards speaking with one voice and ensure our voice matters in the state decision making. With all hands on deck, I am sure we will achieve our set targets,” he said.
In a remark, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hafsat Baba enjoined civil society organisation to continue fighting for women issues, as well as support policies aimed at making the lives of women better.
“We appreciate your effort at fighting for the cause of women. All these efforts are aimed at making the lives of women better.
“On behalf of the women of Kaduna state I want to say thanks to you all,” she said.
The FP Advocacy Stakeholders meeting was funded by Pathfinder International, a global organisation working towards promoting sexual rights in Nigeria and 20 other countries.
Pathfinder International is supporting FHANI to advocate for timely release of the N100 million budgeted by Kaduna State Government to enhance child spacing services in 2017.
Pathfinder is also supporting FHANI to advocate for domestication of Task-Shifting policy, a programme meant to empower Community Health Environmental Workers to carry out certain maternal health services in hospitals.
