Tuesday 5 April 2016

Communiqué Issued at the end of Stakeholders Dissemination Meeting on Routine Immunisation Budget Scorecard in Bauchi State between Community Health and Research Initiative CHR, and Bauchi State Accountability Mechanism for MNCH (BaSAM)


Preamble

Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR) in collaboration with Bauchi State Accountability Mechanism for MNCH on the 4th of April, 2016 organized a Stakeholders Dissemination Meeting on Routine Immunisation Budget Scorecard in Bauchi State. The meeting held at Bagari Suite Bauchi, and had partners from different organizations and the media in attendance. During the meeting, CSOs/Media reviewed the state’s RI budget scorecard, assessing the level of program implementation within the period of two years (4th quarter of 2014- 1st quarter of 2016). Its deliberations were around, RI budget allocation, status of budget releases, budget accountability and transparency, and budget expenditure.

The meeting discussed the Status of state’s RI budget expenditure, and need to strengthen accountability and transparency while commending the Executive Governor, Barr. Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar Esq, for releasing N80million naira in the state’s RI Basket funding, being co-funded with Bill and Melinda Gates and Dangote. Participants during the meeting acknowledged the need for participation of CSOs and the media in Bauchi State RI Finance Working Group Meetings which will uphold accountability and transparency in government expenditure around RI.

 Observation
  • The meeting observed that the state already has existing RI budget code and its RI finance appropriations are on track judging by the N80million released by the governor on the 3rd of March 2016, which is also timely.
  • That Budget review timetable exists judging by 2015 findings and the time the first phase of the state counterpart fund was released.
  • It was observed that the quarterly review meeting held in the state has not met the required target of 75% rating in the scorecard, and there is low participation of CSOs and Media during Monthly Finance Working Group Meeting.
RESOLUTIONS:

General resolution
·         The BaSPHCDA  agreed to ensure the inclusion and active participation of BaSAM and CHR representatives during RI Finance working group and other important RI meetings
·         CHR/PACFaH and BaSAM, will strengthen its advocacy to targeted policy makers within its available resources.
·         CHR will support BaSAM on activities and ensure monthly meetings are held.
·         CHR/PACFaH will support the implementation of the work plan developed by the Coalition, for RI advocacy and monitoring of RI program implementation in the state.

Recommendations:
·         Commends the Bauchi State Government for the funds released and advise that the state ensures that accountability and transparency is strengthened as this will result to full implementation and coverage of the state’s planned RI activities.
·         Ensure RI funds released  is  judiciously utilized
·         It is desired that the state Primary Health Care Development Agency and Emergency Operations Center should ensure timely and regular meetings of Finance Working Group; with adequate representation of local CSOs/Media this will promote local ownership, openness, feedback and improvement of services.  
·         The ministry of health and its agencies in Bauchi state should support the inclusion of CSOs/Media in monitoring and RI supervision
·         The CSOs should be proactive in engaging for optimum support for RI programs in Bauchi State.

Adopted by: the Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR) and Bauchi State Accountability Mechanism on MNCH (BaSAM)

DECLARATION OF ACTION AFTER ONE DAY MENTORSHIP TRAINING FOR MEDIA CHAMPIONS IN CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH ORGANISED BY CIVIL SOCIETY LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CENTRE (CISLAC) IN COLLABORATION WITH PARTNERSHIP FOR ADVOCACY IN CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH (PACFaH) HELD AT NASSARAWA GUEST HOUSE, KANO ON 22ND JANUARY, 2016


Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in collaboration with Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) held One Day Mentorship Training for Media Champions in Child and Family Health. The training held at Nassarawa Guest House, Kano on 22nd January, 2016 was attended by over 20 media champions working in child and family health. The session aimed to bring reputable media champions advocating for, and demanding accountability in child and family health in Nigeria, under one roof for a training on prioritizing and amplifying child and family health issues—Nutrition, Routine Immunisation, Family Planning and management of childhood killer diseases, in the forefront of the media coverage and reportage. After exhaustive deliberations on various thematic issues, we the participants:
Recognise that adequate budgetary allocation to and information on child and family health should be accorded priority by governments at all levels to secure lives, healthy living and socio-economic development.
Also recognise that inadequate budgetary allocation to health, existing socio-cultural challenges, endemic corruption have resulted in poor access to life-saving commodities by mothers and children as well as other health care services across the country.
Express concern over less priority given to child and family health in the country; and will access accurate, authoritative and reliable sources to inform our advocacy to the relevant stakeholders to promote child and family health at all levels.
Also express worry over lack of political will to encourage child spacing and urge the government to support dissemination of accurate, reliable and consistent  information on child spacing for the good health of the mother.
Note that media has essential role in advocating to the governments for sustainable routine immunization; effective implementation of National Strategic Plan on Nutrition (NSPAN) at all levels; creation of budget line for the management of childhood killer diseases, and adequate budgetary allocation to child spacing commodities in the country.
Also note that the main indication for malnutrition in the country is stunting which features in poor physical development and mental retardation in children, and resultant socio-economic challenges.
Further note that accurate, objective and transparent reportage helps in building confidence and maintaining healthy relationship with relevant stakeholders.
Affirm that adequate knowledge of child and family health issues remains essential to effectively engage governments to provide for, and individuals to access adequate child and family health care services across the country.
Commit to advocate to the government at all levels and community to secure their support and confidence to deal with challenges facing child and family health, through evidence based and lobby-free advocacy, and investigative journalism.
Also commit to seek adequate knowledge, avoid technical jargons impeding readers/listeners’ interest, provide focus and strategic media coverage and reportage on child and family health to secure governments’ commitment and individual awareness at all levels.
Will give keen interest, great priority and focused attention to objective, qualitative and strategic coverage and reportage in child and family health through our respective outfits.
Shall effectively advocate to the governments for judicious utilization of the nation’s resources and adoption of innovative mechanisms for fund mobilization for adequate child and family health.
Will support the ongoing lobby-free advocacy by Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) in the country.
Signed:
  1. Rashidat M. Olagunju
    NTA, Headquarters
  2. Habibah Basanya
    TVC, Lagos
  3. Marcus Fatunmole
    National Mirror Newspaper, Lagos
  4. Karls Tsokar
    Guardian Newspaper, Abuja
  5. Judd-Leonard Okafor
    Daily Trust Newspaper, Abuja
  6. Stellamaries Amuwa
    PRNigeria
  7. Grace Namiji
    Federal Radio Corporation, Abuja
  8. Salisu Ibrahim
    Federal Radio Corporation, Kaduna
  9. Maimunah Abdulrahman
    Kaduna State Media Corporation
  10. Mohammed Ibrahim
    Federal Radio Corporation, Bauchi
  11. Bulak Afsa
    NTA, Bauchi
  12.  Habiba Dauda
    Niger State Television (NSTV)
  13.  Momso Damien Dati
    NTA, Niger State
  14.  Abubakar Usman Akwanga
    NTA, Nasarawa State, Lafia
  15.  Donatus Nadi
    Leadership Newspaper, Nasarawa State
  16.  Ibrahim Musa Giginyu
    Daily Trust Newspaper, Kano State
  17.  Kolade Adeyemi
    The Nation Newspaper, Kano State
  18.  Olusegun Aribike
    Media Consultant

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A TWO-DAY TRAINING ON BUDGET TRACKING FOR MEDIA CHAMPIONS IN CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH ORGANIZED BY THE CIVIL SOCIETY LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY CENTRE (CISLAC) WITH SUPPORT FROM PARTNERSHIP FOR ADVOCACY IN CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH (PACFaH) HELD AT NASSARAWA GUEST HOUSE, KANO ON THURSDAY 10TH AND FRIDAY 11TH MARCH, 2016.




PREAMBLE:

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) with support from Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) organized a 2-day training on budget tracking for media champions in child and family health. The training aims at bringing reputable media champions advocating for, and demanding accountability in child and family health in Nigeria, under one roof for a training on effective process for tracking and monitoring child and family health (Nutrition, Routine Immunisation, Family Planning and Childhood killer diseases) budget. The meeting drew about 30 participants from various media outfits. It featured Mrs. Chinwe Onumonu, Mr. Sunday Okoronkwo, Ndidi Chukwu, Mr. David Akpotor, and Mr. Oluseun Onigbinde as the lead presenters. After exhaustive deliberations on various thematic issues, the following observations and recommendations were made:  

1.      Although up to 33% of maternal deaths can be prevented through family planning, in Nigeria, no fewer than 111 women and young girls die daily from conditions associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
2.      Family planning remains a sensitive socio-cultural and religious issue, and consequently stalling effective awareness creation on child spacing, especially in the Northern part of Nigeria.
3.      The existing National Blue Print on Family Planning cannot be effectively implemented across the states without appropriate consideration for its suitability to local context.
4.      Inadequate capacity by civil society groups and the media to jointly advocate for sustainable routine immunization, and provide feedback on the effectiveness of routine immunization progammes and finances.
5.      Low media coverage and reportage on issues affecting sustainable finances for routine immunization has resulted in poor individual and policy awareness of the importance of sustainable immunization to child and family health.
6.      In February 2016, six Northern states—Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Katsina, Sokoto and Yobe signed a tripartite agreement with developmental partners, reiterating their commitments to fund provision for sustainable routine immunization.
7.      While child malnutrition features in stunting, wasting, macro-nutrient deficiencies, and overweight, North West remains the worst hit by wasting and stunting burden standing at 27% and 57%, respectively in the country.
8.      Inadequate funding, inconsistency in the budgetary allocation and release, and the delayed domestication and implementation of National Strategic Plan of Action on Nutrition (NSPAN) are endemic challenges to efforts at eradicating malnutrition in Nigeria.
9.      As no fewer than 400, 000 children die annually from pneumonia and diarrheal diseases in Nigeria, adoption and implementation of global recommendations and guidelines for treatments of pneumonia and diarrhea are restricted by lack of political will and specific budget lines at all levels.
10.  In Nigeria, Pneumonia and Diarrhoea are responsible for 16% and 19% deaths, respectively of Under-5 mortality.
11.  The key parameters for consideration in budget tracking and reporting include the existing macro-economic environment, inflation rate, GDP growth and exchange rate.
12.  Weak supervision of the nation’s procurement price standard and process has paved way for persistent alteration and unrealistic inflation of prices by government institutions.
13.  Lack of political commitment to transparency and accountability in the budgetary processes, and weak systemic capacity to effectively interrogate the new Zero-Based Budget.
14.  Documented evidence to inform exhaustive budget tracking, analysis and reporting are pre-budget statement, proposed budget, appropriated budget, citizens’ budget, In-year report, and audit report.
15.  Effective analysis and reportage of child and family health budget must consider direct impact to wide variety of audience like technical experts, active and inactive literate citizens, and the grassroots.

Recommendations
1.      Massive awareness creation on the appropriate compliance to the required medical procedures in administering family planning services to secure individuals’ confidence and acceptance.
2.      Providing appreciable access to family planning services through adequate budget provision, fulfilled government’s commitment (London Summit) to family planning related issues.
3.      Adopting the National Blue Print on Family Planning to reflect the local or state context to promote effective implementation across the country.
4.      Adequate fund provision for routine immunization at all levels through private sector involvement, local production of some vaccine, and creation of transparent Routine Immunisation Trust Fund.
5.      Exploring routine immunisation landscape through persistent, exhaustive and strategic media coverage and reportage.
6.      Enhanced media advocacy to secure full-fledged political commitment to the implementation of National Health Act, 2014 to save lives of mothers and children.
7.      Creation of specific budget line on nutrition across relevant institutions, encourage exclusive breastfeeding, adoption and effective implementation of the costed NSPAN at all levels to combat endemic malnutrition in the country.
8.      Prompt release and effective management of budgeted funds to promote accountability and transparency in government spending on nutrition.
9.      Adoption and implementation of the recommendations and guidelines by United Nations Commission on Life-Saving Commodities to combat and mitigate the rising death of children from pneumonia and diarrhea in the country.
10.  Local production of less expensive and affordable commodities (Amoxicillin Dispersible tablet and Zinc/LO-ORS) to increase accessibility by communities combating pneumonia and diarrhea.
11.  Creation of specific budget line to tackle pneumonia and diarrhea, adequate awareness at all levels, appropriate personal hygiene, and revised guidelines to reflect current global recommendations.
12.  Accessing and utilizing states’ specific data to inform evidence-based advocacy by the media to effectively demand accountability for appropriate policy decision on child and family health.
13.  Understanding political direction and perception to the fundamental components of budget with clearly defined benefit to effectively track, monitor, and communicate budgetary allocation to child and family health in publicly acceptable manner.
14.  Well-informed qualitative and quantitative data generation from community perspectives with specific understanding of the current policy financial projection like Zero-Based Budget to track, analyse and appropriately report price standardization and justification for particular budget line item.
15.  Constitutional amendment to legalise openness in budgetary processes and active involvement of media and CSOs to track approval and judicious utilization of budgetary allocation to child and family health, to justify the extent of policy transparency and accountability.

Conclusion
The participants expressed appreciations to CISLAC/PACFaH for embarking on the training channeled towards building their capacity on budget tracking in child and family health. Participants expressed gratitude to the organizers, noting that the engagement was revealing and indeed an opportunity to begin to engage budgetary processes. They demonstrated willingness to continue monitoring, tracking and reporting budget as related to Nutrition, Routine Immunisation, Family Planning, and Childhood killer diseases in their respective states.
Signed:

Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani)
Executive Director, CISLAC
Mairo Mohammed Taheer
Kaduna State Media Corporation

Abubakar Usman Akwanga
NTA, Nasarawa State

Momso Damien Dati
NTA, Niger State

Salisu Yusuf
Health Reporter, Kano State

Mohammed Ibrahim
Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Bauch State

Chioma Umeha
News Watch Time Newspapers, Lagos State