Kaduna State Government says its efforts are being focused on five pivotal areas of accomplishment, through diligent work and collaboration, for the well being of its citizens.

The state’s Commisioner for Health, Hajiya Umma Ahmed, said this at a one-day dialogue on “Open Kaduna Health Sector”.

The engagement, organised by Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM), a co-creation mechanism, which has membership drawn from government, civil society organisations and the media, was supported by E4A-Option, Mamaye, Lafiya, Lisdel, among other organisations.

Ahmed said the five areas were leadership and governance, maternal/child health, medicines/ vaccines, health commodities, health financing and human resources for health.

According to her, the accomplishments achieved through diligent work and collaboration by the state government stands as a testament to their unwavering dedication to the well-being of our citizens.

“In the realm of leadership and governance, we have taken substantial steps towards effective leadership and strategic direction. Our commitment to aligning with Sustainable Development Goals has driven the enactment of policies that guide our trajectory,” she stated.

She added that the recent signing of the Public Health Law of Kaduna State by Sen Uba Sani, the Governor of Kaduna State, on employing the One Health Principle, underscored the government’s dedication to safeguarding the public from health risks and public health emergencies.

Ahmed also said the ministry recognised the power of accountability, where citizens held them, the health sector leaders, to their responsibilities.

“The Open Kaduna Health Sector initiative, an alliance of diverse stakeholders, ensures transparency, assessment, and recommendations for budget, expenditures, and service delivery.

“This citizen-driven platform exemplifies our commitment to an open and participatory healthcare system.

“Maternal and child health service coverage remains a cornerstone of our efforts. Despite challenges, strides have been made in providing antenatal care by skilled providers.

“Notably, penta-3 immunization coverage has experienced a commendable increase, leading to recognition of Kaduna State by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency,”she added.

She said the state government’s commitment to health financing was evident through the allocation of budgetary resources.

She noted that while the 15 per cent benchmark of the Abuja Declaration had not been met in 2021, their allocation exceeded the Abuja declaration on multiple occasions.

“This emphasises our resolve to ensure adequate resources for the health sector. The allocation of resources is just a part of the equation,” she said.

On implementation, the Commissioner said it faced challenges attributed to global economic fluctuations and revenue constraints.

She therefore said the situation reinforced their need for adaptability and prudent financial management.

“The availability of quality medicines, vaccines, and health commodities remains paramount. The Kaduna State health accounts reveal our dedication to allocating resources to medical products.

“To address accessibility issues, our partnership with local pharmaceutical companies signifies a step forward, leading to a notable increase in essential medicines’ availability across public health facilities.

“Human resources for health play a pivotal role in healthcare delivery. While we have achieved an impressive workforce stock, density remains a concern,” she stated.

In response to comprehensive human resource for health policy and strategic plan which was developed, she noted that it reflected the government’s dedication to a skilled workforce deployment that addressed the diverse needs of growing population.

She assured the accountability mechanism of the ministry of health’s unwavering commitment, transparency, and readiness to embrace constructive criticism.

She also assured them that all the areas of concern evidently raised by the accountability mechanism would be conveyed to Gov. Uba Sani, to ensure they were looked into in line with his campaign promises.

Earlier, the Chairman, Evidence Committee of KADMAM, Mr Abdulrahman Minkail, said health care was supposed to be a priority for all government.

He said it was why the accountability mechanism held the Kaduna State Government to account, especially regarding the resources for health sector in the state.

Minkail said the importance of health and their activities made Gov. Uba Sani made a commitment to allocate a minimum of 15 per cent of the state’s budget to the health sector.

He, however, said beyond the committment of approval, they wanted it to match with cash backing, to ensure every citizen of the state had access to Universal Health Care Coverage.

Earlier, Secretary of KADMAM, Isa Gidado, said the accountability platform visited health facilities and users alike to generate evidence-based demand which was used to engage the government.

“We have been working in the health sector as a civil society group which include media specialists to ensure we constructively engage the government.

“Our interest is to see improvement in the health sector in such a way that our children and reproductive-age women can have unhindered access to their basic health needs,” he said.

Also, a member of KADMAM, Alhaji Mustapha Jumare, highlighted inadequate health workers and poor cash backing of health budget releases as top issues hampering improved health service delivery in the state.

Jumare therefore urged the government to employ skilled manpower in its health facilities.