NIGER STATE MINISTRY OF HEALTH PARTNERS AND PROGRAM OFFICERS FORUM

The Niger State ministry of health partners and programs officers forum is an avenue that brings together the management staff of Niger state ministry of health, Directors, heads of Agencies under ministry of health, program officers, partners and civil society organization (CSOs) working in health sector of Niger state.

This year's forum meeting took place on Thursday 18th February, 2021 at Haske Luxary Hotel Minna. The forum's meeting was well attended by all the major stakeholders contributing to the development of health sector and service delivery in Niger State. This includes: the honourable commissioner of health, permanent secretary, Directors, heads of Agencies under the ministry of health, program officers, partners and civil society organizations that are complementing the efforts of the state government in health sector development.

The objectives of this year's forum meeting are: to highlight the Niger State Health sector 2020 Annual Operational Plan (AOP), to determine the status of the Partners Mapping in the State, to present Q1 2021 Partners' work plan and its alignment with the 2021 AOP, to identify challenges and provide possible solutions and to agree on the next steps line of actions.

Dr. Muhammad Muhammad Makusidi, the honourable commissioner who declared the forum's meeting opened, appreciated

Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, the Executive Governor of Niger State for given him all the necessary support that the ministry deserved and free hand to ba administering the affairs of the ministry there by making it a super ministry in the state. This is the reason why the ministry is often called "Dan Gaban Goshin Gomna". 

Also, in his welcome remarks, the commissioner welcomed all the participants into the meeting which he said it's critical to the development of health sector in the state. He specifically, appreciated the great concern and support that partners have been showing and given in terms of funding and technical support to the health sector which in turned, add to the development of health sector and the GDP of the state.

The commissioner gave partners the assurances of his constant and unwaivering support that will facilitate and help them carry out their intervention activities effectively within the state. 

Further more, he explained to the partners that the state government has been doing its best, in terms of programs that requires counter funding. However, he said things have not been easy due to COVID19

pandemic and insecurity ravaging in the state by pockets of terrorist attacks.

The recent terrorist attack on Government Science School Kagara where 27 students and three teachers with their families where kidnapped involved one of his son.

Though, the government and security agents are on top of the situation, he called for prayers for their safe return.

Finally, he reiterated that the ultimate goal of the forum will not be fully achieved unless all the stakeholders take ownership of the programs and interventions rolled out for development of health sector in Niger State.

The director of public health Niger State said the idea of the forum is to come together to share ideas, analyze challenges and device ways and means to guide and assist partners to achieve their goals when they come to the state. He said the forum's meeting is important because, it provide the avenue to harmonise the activities of partners and avoid duplications. He emphasized that when new partners comes into the state, their first point of contact must be ministry of health to let the honourable commissioner and the concern personalities know why they decided to come, what is their area of intervention, coverage, duration and collaboration. He said by coming together, duplications of programs will be avoided, spending of huge amount of resources without meaningful or commisurate achievement will be curtailed and effective services delivery will be fully achieved in the state.

At this juncture, the partners were called upon to give their presentation on what they are doing, what they have achieved and what they planned to achieve in year 2021.

All the partners present at the meeting made their power point presentations. The partners present at the forum's meeting are: WHO, unicef, White Ribbon Allian, Chemonics International, Malaria Consortium, HSDF, The challenge initiative, Marie Stopes, Clinton Health Access Initiative to mentioned but few.

At the end of each presentation, questions were asked and answers provided while, the challenges identified were analysed in order, for the forum to come up with solutions.

Some of the notable challenges identified were:

1. No support for state health workers to conduct IRSS and immunization effectively

2. Lack of payment of counterpart funding by the state

3. Inability of program officers to know how to apply for funds

4. Lack of optimal supportive supervision

5 lack of accountability

6. Bad roads to have access to facilities

7. Insecurity

8. Poor Internet connectivity 

9. COVID19 pandemic

10. Communications gaps

11. Inadequate man power

12. Health workers attitude and

13 Inadequate facilities amongst others.

14. Lack of state midwives in PHC

15. Conflicts between Midwives and CHEW at PHC facilities.

In response to some of the challenges enumerated above, the honourable commissioner explained  why some challenges identified were still existing in the state. He said some of the challenges are due to insecurity and COVID19 constraints that slow down their activities. He said as a result of insecurity in Kagara town, it is not advisable for him to send any health worker there. However, he vehemently disagree with the claim of lack of counterpart funding on the part of the state. He said Niger State has been doing well in release of counterpart funding but the delays experienced was due decision of policy makers that some times changes the goal post at the middle of the game. He added that #12.5 million Naira was allocated to each LGAs out of which, 70 percent of the money should be for capital while, the remaining 30 percent should be for recurrent expenditures aimed at supporting the activities of the partners where necessary. But he quickly added that sometimes, the money don't get  released to the LGAs as some will take two to three months before they received it.

Lastly, on the issue of inadequate health workers, he said they are planning to recruit 250 midwives to improve supervision and monitoring and thereafter, deployed them to various primary health care facilities across the state

In response to the challenges for lack of optimal support for supervision, the Executive Director of NSPHCDA ably represented by pharmacist Ndanusa Babandako Usman the director of food and drugs in the agency said the claim is not true because, the agency distributed 50 motorcycles across all the 25 LGAs in the state and recently, they distributed another 25 motorcycles and laptops to LGAs. However, he said due to globalization, the agency is leveraging on one program to achieve the other in order, to save cost and time. Therefore, monitoring and supervision is ongoing but it is not longer dedicated to just one program any more.

Thereafter, the meeting session breaks for tea break at exactly 12:11pm. And it was announced during tea break that the commissioner of health, permanent secretary and head of Agencies should used that opportunity to have a side line meeting with one of the partners country representative who incidentally came into the meeting.

The meeting session resumed at exactly 1:30pm and it continues with more presentations from the partners beginning with Marie Stopes Nigeria, AFENET - CDC and others. Questions where asked as well and answers given. Then, comments and general analysis of the challenges identified were discussed and resolutions were adopted.

Dr. Idris added his voice to the challenges of lack of midwives which, White Ribbon Allian partners claimed to be lacking. The presenter said "the only notable midwives available in Niger State PHC facilities are majorly the 300  midwives recruited for saving one million lives, where she expressed concern that "since, the saving one million lives program is about to end, what happened next? 

In his response to the question raised above, Dr. Idris Said the saving one million lives program was a counterpart program to which, all the 300 midwives involved in the program where recruited and paid by the Niger State government. Therefore, even after the end of saving one million lives program, the midwives will remain in there various PHC facilities.

As regard to challenges between Midwives and CHEW supremacy and attitude of health workers, Dr. Hauwa the coordinator of PHC facilities was advised to look into the conflicts and then organize an award event to reward dedicated and committed health workers as a means of motivation as well as sanctioned erring health workers.

The state partners coordinator Dr. Halima lamented about inability of partners to cooperate with her. This she said is her major challenge why she could not complete mapping of partners despite the mails that she sent to them. Thereafter, she appealed to the partners and Civil society organizations (CSOs) working in the state to come forward and introduce themselves to her especially, the CSOs since, after the expiration of partners work, it is the CSOs that are supposed to carry it on. Hence, the need for both partners and CSOs to come together and work together so as to enable her know them and keep track of their activities.

At this juncture, Dr Junaid was called upon to lead the meeting in passing her resolutions which are as follows:

1. That partners mapping is critical to the success of their activities in the state. Therefore, it Should be made compulsory to all partners working or coming into the state to report to the partners' coordinator

2. It was agreed that one week should be set as deadline for partners to complete the mapping so as to let the partners' coordinator knows where they are working in the state, the type of work that they are doing and the duration that they intend to work in the state.

3. Thursday 25th February, 2021 was set as the deadline after which erring partners will be reported to their respective country directors.

4. The state partners' coordinator was mandated to send a reminder to all the partners on the need for their mapping through email and Whatsapp platforms.

5. Partners were advised to work with the staff of Niger State ministry of health so as to be properly guided

6. Partners were advised to be mindful of insecurity in the state

7. Health workers and Partners should workout a way to deliver services in the state despite the security challenges.

8. Since both WDC and CHIPS have been established and working together, Partners were advised to look into the structure and see where they can collaborate and leverage on that existing structure.

9. Partners conducting research, should involve a member from the Agency research team to avoid duplications and proper guidance.

10. Award nights should be organized more often to reward hardworking health workers

11. A committee was put in place to harmonise all the available templates on issues of training so as to have a centralized data about the people that have been trained in order, to present it to the government. The committee was to be headed by Dr. Hauwa from NSPHCDA with Pharmacist Musa Abdul, Chail, TNM and Joshua as members. The committee is to streamline training across the entire ministry of health and then, submit their report within one month.

12. That program management review meetings will consider on quarterly basis. Therefore, Thursday 15th April, 2020 was set aside as the date to consider the report of first quarter annual operational plans from all program officers. Partners will equally, be invited to asked them questions as well.

After all the resolutions were adopted, the permanent secretary Niger State ministry of health, Dr. Gana Mohammed said the forum's meeting achieved it purpose which is to see how the activities of partners aligns with the Niger State ministry of health annual plans.

The DPRS Niger State Ministry of health gave the vote of thanks. He appreciated the time and contribution of the honourable commissioner of health, permanent secretary and the Executive Director of NSPHCDA. He thanked the partners and CSOs, and appreciated the directors and health personnel present at the meeting for guiding and putting the partners on their toes towards providing more services to the state effectively. Finally, he prayed for an end of insecurity and COVID19 in the state and then, wish everyone safe return to their destinations.

The meeting came to an end at exactly, 4:17 pm with a national anthem prayers.

Ibrahim Ahmad Zuruk

SMO/PRO - NSPHCDA 

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