Dr Moshood Salawu is a Senior Maternal Perinatal Death Surveillance & Response (MPDSR) Advisor on Options Consultancy Services’ -Evidence for Action (E4A)-MamaYe programme.. In this interview, he spoke extensively on a range of issues including how to prevent pregnancy among teenagers, improving PHC efficiency and effectiveness and the role of CSOs in addressing challenges around maternal mortality in Nigeria.
Excerpts:
What are the steps that can be taken to prevent pregnancy among teenagers? And how can we create the needed awareness for them to have access or use contraception in Nigeria?
Preventing unwanted pregnancies and raising awareness about contraception among teenagers in Nigeria are critical to promoting reproductive health and well-being. Some of the steps that can be take to prevent unwanted pregnancies in teenagers include comprehensive Sex education.
There is the need to implement comprehensive sex education in schools and communities. This education should cover topics like reproductive anatomy, contraception methods, safe sex practices, and responsible decision-making.
Accessible and Youth-Friendly Services: Ensure easy access to youth-friendly reproductive health services, including contraception, at healthcare facilities and through outreach programs.
Information Dissemination: Utilize various media platforms, such as social media, radio, and TV, to disseminate accurate and age-appropriate information about contraception and its benefits.
Peer Education: Engage trained peer educators who can relate to teenagers and provide information on contraception, its types, and proper usage.
Partnerships: Collaborate with non-governmental organizations, healthcare providers, schools, and community leaders to collectively promote awareness about contraception and unwanted pregnancy prevention.
Cultural Sensitivity: Develop awareness campaigns that respect and consider Nigeria’s diverse cultural, religious, and social norms.
Creating awareness for teenagers to have access to and use contraception requires a multifaceted approach that includes education, healthcare access, open dialogue, and community support.
How can Nigeria improve its planning, financing, and delivery of sustainable and replicable primary health care services, considering the poor funding of PHC in the country
Improving the planning, financing, and delivery of sustainable and replicable primary healthcare services in Nigeria, especially in the face of poor funding, requires a comprehensive approach that addresses both immediate challenges and long-term strategies.
The key steps to be taken include increased Funding Allocation. One of the fundamental changes needed is a significant increase in budget allocation to primary healthcare. Adequate funding is essential for effective service delivery, infrastructure development, and training of healthcare workers.
Targeted Investment: Prioritize investments in essential primary healthcare services that have the most significant impact on public health, such as maternal and child health, immunization, and disease prevention.
Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Align efforts with UHC goals to ensure that all Nigerians have access to essential healthcare services without experiencing financial hardship. This requires a combination of government funding, insurance mechanisms, and community participation.
Community Engagement: Involve local communities in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of primary healthcare services. This not only ensures that services meet local needs but also fosters a sense of ownership and accountability.
Strengthening Health Workforce: Invest in training and capacity-building for healthcare workers, especially those at the primary healthcare level.
Strengthening Health Information Systems: Implement robust health information systems to collect, analyze, and use data for decision-making. Accurate data helps identify gaps and track progress toward improving primary healthcare services.
Innovative Financing: Explore innovative financing models such as public-private partnerships, social impact bonds, and community health financing mechanisms to supplement government funding.
Advocacy and Awareness: Engage in advocacy efforts to raise awareness about the importance of primary healthcare and its positive impact on public health and economic development.
Improving primary healthcare in Nigeria is a complex endeavour that requires coordinated efforts across multiple sectors, innovative financing solutions, political commitment, and a focus on achieving sustainable, equitable, and quality healthcare services for all citizens.
What is the role of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in addressing the worrisome maternal and child mortality indices in Nigeria?
CSOs play a crucial and multifaceted role in addressing the worrisome maternal and child mortality indices in Nigeria. Their involvement is pivotal in driving positive change, advocating for policy reforms, and promoting community engagement. CSOs can assist in the area of Advocacy and Awareness.
CSOs have the power to raise public awareness about maternal and child health issues, including the causes, consequences, and potential solutions. By leveraging their platforms, CSOs can influence public perception and engage communities in conversations about the importance of maternal and child health.
Policy Advocacy: CSOs can actively advocate for policies that prioritize maternal and child health. They can engage with policymakers, provide evidence-based recommendations, and advocate for the allocation of sufficient resources to support maternal and child healthcare services.
Monitoring and Accountability: CSOs play a role in monitoring the implementation of healthcare programs and policies. They can hold governments and healthcare institutions accountable for delivering quality maternal and child health services and achieving targeted outcomes.
Community Engagement: CSOs are often deeply embedded in communities, allowing them to bridge the gap between healthcare providers and local populations. They can facilitate community dialogues, educate families about health practices, and encourage community members to seek timely healthcare services.
Capacity Building: CSOs can contribute to building the capacity of healthcare workers, particularly at the community level. They can provide training, resources, and support to healthcare providers to enhance their skills and knowledge in delivering effective maternal and child healthcare.
Partnership and Collaboration: CSOs can collaborate with governments, international organizations, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders to pool resources, share expertise, and coordinate efforts for maximum impact.
Behavioral Change Communication: CSOs can design behavior change campaigns that encourage families to adopt healthy behaviors and practices that positively impact maternal and child health outcomes.
Voice of the Vulnerable: CSOs often represent marginalized and vulnerable populations. They advocate for the needs and rights of these groups, ensuring that healthcare interventions are inclusive and equitable.
In summary, CSOs play a critical role in advocating, mobilizing, educating, and empowering communities to address maternal and child mortality in Nigeria. Their diverse activities contribute to driving systemic change, influencing policies, and fostering collaboration to ultimately improve the health and well-being of mothers and children.
There is no real statistics about Nigeria Health indices, what can be done to address the challenges
The availability and accuracy of health statistics are essential for informed decision-making, policy formulation, and effective healthcare interventions. While there have been efforts to gather health data in Nigeria, there are challenges that hinder the completeness and accuracy of health indices. Some key steps that can be taken to address these challenges include strengthen data collection systems; digital health solutions; and capacity Building: Provide training to healthcare professionals and data collectors on the importance of accurate data and how to collect it effectively.
Others include quality assurance mechanisms; strengthening Health Information Systems; research and surveys; transparency and Accountability: Establish mechanisms for transparent reporting and accountability in data collection and reporting processes; political Commitment: Secure strong political commitment to prioritize data collection and invest in health information systems and continuous monitoring and evaluation.
By addressing these challenges and implementing these strategies, Nigeria can work toward improving the quality and availability of health data and indices.
This, in turn, will contribute to better-informed healthcare planning, policies, and interventions to improve the overall health and well-being of its population.
