By Asma’u Ahmad
The Community Health Research and Initiative (CHR),Nigeria, through its Strengthening Accountability for Maternal Health Project in Nigeria (SAMiN) funded by MacArthur Foundation, has inaugurated a coalition to boost maternal, neonatal and child health accountability in Sokoto State.
The coalition was christened, “Sokoto Accountability Coalition for Maternal Health (SACoM).”
The Chairman of the coalition, Mu’azu Muhammad told newsmen in Sokoto on Wednesday that the coalition would support the implementation of SAMiN project in the state, which aimed to achieve increase availability and access to life-saving drugs by strengthening accountability mechanisms at the state level by advocating for timely release of funds.
He said: “The coalition draws its member from different governmental MDAs, the media, legislatures and civil society organizations in the state. CHR had since organized a two-day capacity building workshop
for members of the coalition on strengthening accountability for maternal health.
“This was with the view to acquainting them with the requisite knowledge on the depth of disturbing situation of maternal mortality in the state and Nigeria in general.”
Our correspondent report that the coalition will use strategic advocacy approaches that would strengthen accountability tha influences Sokoto state government for timely and adequate releases of
funds for life saving drugs for pregnant women such as Oxytocin, Misoprostol and Magnesium Sulphate among others.
Mua’zu Muhammad further averred that the coalition would advocate increases in yearly budgetary allocations and timely release of funds for maternal health.
Similarly, the coalition would monitor public pronouncements, to track commitments of policy makers in the state.
“There will be routine advocacy visits to crucial stakeholders, organize lifesaving drugs budget scorecards events through mechanisms like town hall meetings and open budget review.
“There will also be policy dialogues, trainings and retraining, among other plausible efforts to further improve the indices of maternal health,” Muhammad added.
