Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in
collaboration with Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH)
held 2-Day Mentorship Training for Media Champions in Child and Family Health.
The training held at Chimcherry Hotel, Kaduna state on 11th and 12th May, 2016
was attended by about 15 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 across PACFaH focal states, 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 and sustainable funding for routine immunisation
remains paramount to ensure appropriate vaccination, reduce rising deaths of
children under-5 and avert resurgence of polio virus; effective implementation
of National Strategic Plan of Action on Nutrition (NSPAN) will prevent high
burden of malnutrition; adoption and effective implementation of: National Blue
Print on Family Planning will avert preventable maternal deaths; and recommended
guidelines (such as Amoxicillin Dispersible Tablets and Zinc/Lo-ORS) as first
line treatment of pneumonia and diarrhoea by the United Nations Commission on Life-Saving
Commodities (UNCoLSC) will prevent the death of children under-5.
Also recognise that dwindling budgetary allocation, poor political commitment
and awareness, delay in the release of fund, over-dependent on donor funding
are impending challenges confronting sustainable routine immunisation, adequate
nutrition status, contraceptive prevalent rate, and treatment of childhood
killer diseases at all levels.
Express concern over lack of political will to fulfil various commitments to
child and family health; existing socio-cultural challenges backpedalling
appropriate practices on nutrition, family planning, under-reported cases of
pneumonia and diarrhoea as the major killers of children under-5.
Also express concern over political reluctant to collaborate with the media; and
inadequate media-political awareness on child and family health related issues.
Note that in Nigeria, malnutrition
contributes to 1 out of every 2 child death, 1 out of 8 under-5 children die
before 5th year from childhood killer diseases, 1 in every 13 women die from
pregnancy related complications; and exclusive breastfeeding practices
would help to mitigate high malnutrition burden and childhood killer diseases
at all levels.
Also note exploring alternative sources of fund through revenue expansion
from commercialised agricultural practices would help to bridge funding gaps in
child and family health at all levels.
Further note that evidence-based and
investigative journalism would inform accurate reportage, effective data
analysis and interpretation for adequate public awareness, and political commitment
towards child and family health in Nigeria.
Affirm to the creation of budget line for the procurement and
administration of life-saving commodities, operationalization of the NSPAN and
National Family Planning Blue Print.
Commit to intensify public awareness, raise political consciousness towards
adequate and sustainable funding for routine immunisation, nutrition, family
planning and treatment of childhood killer diseases at all levels through evidence-based
journalism and appropriate agenda setting for relevant stakeholders.
Also commit to educate the women on rights to appropriate
child spacing methodology, project the socio-economic benefits of family
planning, and demand the adoption and full implementation of National Blue
Print on Family Planning through comparative data analysis, persistent and
well-informed advocacy to the relevant stakeholders at all levels.
Will prioritise public education and
enlightenment, especially for men to restore women’s rights and dignity on health
and family planning through synergy with civil society groups to create a formidable
force demanding accountability in child family health
Shall effectively engage, track and monitor budgetary processes to advocate and
demand accountability on adequate funding for child and family health through budget
analysis, information management, investigative journalism, verifiable facts
and figures, factual and human-angle reportage.
Will support the on-going lobby-free advocacy by PACFaH in the country through
factual reporting and constructive engagement with relevant stakeholders
Signed:
Haruna
Gimba Yaya
Daily
Trust Newspapers, Kano
Eze
Nkechi
Newspeg
Magazine, Abuja
Suzan
Edeh
Vanguard
Newspapers, Bauchi state
Salihi
Abubakar
Leadership
Newspapers, Kano state
Ijeoma
Ukazu
Abuja
Enquirer Newspapers, Lagos
Falalu
Suleiman
Radio
Niger
Umar Muhammed
Punch
Newspapers, Nasarawa state
Ahmed
Kaigama
Peoples
Daily Newspapers, Bauchi
Mary
Jalingo
Newsline
Newspapers, Niger state
Gabriel
Oluwale
Vanguard
Newspapers, Lagos state
Salihu
Mohammed Alkali
FRCN,
Nasarawa state
Abdullahi
Muhammed
Newsdairy
online, Abuja
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