ABUJA COMMITMENTS TO IMPROVED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MATERNAL, NEWBORN, AND CHILD HEALTH WEEK IN NIGERIA: A Communique Issued At the End of the Meeting of the Honourable Commissioners for Health, Executive Secretaries/Chairmen, State Primary Health Care Board, as well as the Permanent Secretaries, Minstries of Local Government And Chieftaincy Affairs of the 36 States and the FCT, 25th April 2014.

 

We, the Honourable Commissioners for Health, the Executive Secretary FCT Department of Public Health, as well as the Executive Secretaries/Chairman, State Primary Health Care Board, and the Permanent Secretaries of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the FCT Counterpart in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, Federal Republic of Nigeria, meeting in Abuja, with the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), other Directors of the NPHCDA, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), National Planning Commission and Development Partners (UNICEF, Nutrient Initiative Clinton Health Access Initiative) on 25th April 2014 at the instance of the NPHCDA, and towards the improvement of the implementation of the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health week.

 

Bearing in mind our constitutional responsibility and commitment towards having a healthy population in Nigeria, and our duty to continue to improve the health of women and Children of Nigeria and to protect them from preventable diseases.

 

Noting with concern the current poor indices in maternal and child health in Nigeria, and with strong support and leadership at the States and LGA levels the MNCH Week can efficiently and effectively serve as a platform for the delivery of the health interventions needed to improve the health of women and children, and accelerate progress toward the attainment of MDGs 4 and 5, 

 

Acknowledging that improving the health of women and children, and reducing maternal, newborn, and child morbidity and mortality can be achieved through the successful implementation of the MNCH Week in addition to other health programmes in Nigeria

 

Recognising that, 

• High maternal, newborn, and child mortality are indicative of a week health system;

 

• To reverse the poor maternal and child health indices, every Nigerian woman and child must be reached with high-impact, cost-effective, life saving interventions;

 

• The MNCH Week is a veritable platform for the delivery of these health interventions;

 

• The MNCH Week approach has, over the relatively short period of its implementation, strengthening routine services and contributing to improved health outcome as well as impact.

 

• Successful implementation of the MNCH Week will require strong leadership and support from the States and Local Governments, as well as technical and programmatic support from the Federal Government and our Development Partners.

 

• Collectively commend those States that have show-cased certain best-practices during the implementation of the previous rounds of the MNCH Week, such as:

 

Compliance with the National Implementaion dates;

• Timely release of adequate funds for the MNCH Week;

• State-level Flag-off of the programme by the Executive Governors/ Deputy;

• Payment of stipends to health workers during the Week;

• State-level debriefing at the end of the programme;

 

We, hereby, commit ourselves to:

1. Compliance with the National Implementation dates;

2. State-level Flag-off of the programme by the Governors;

3. Provision of logistic support to health workers during the Week;

4. Daily debriefing meeting during implementation of the MNCH Week;

5. State-level debriefing at the end of the Week; 

6. Development and inclusion of a budget line for MNCH Week at all levels of government and ensure ealy release of same during each round (consider Basket Funding);

7. Ensure equitable engagement of Partners in states;

8. Advocacy to Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and ALGON for greater political will and commitment to MNCH Week; 

9. Effective engagement, coordination, and mobilization of partners.

Signed

MOHAMMED KABIR JANYAU

Chairman,

Forum of Honourable Commissioners for Health

 

Dr.Ado J.G.Muhammad (OON)

Executive Director/CEO, NPHCDA