By Awwal Umar Kontagora The implementation of the State Partnership for Accountability, Responsiveness and Knowledge (SPAK II) p...
The implementation of the State Partnership for Accountability, Responsiveness and Knowledge (SPAK II) programme in Niger State has continued to strengthen collaboration between communities and healthcare providers to improve primary healthcare service delivery across the state.
Speaking during a one-day sensitisation meeting for Ward Development Committees (WDCs) and health officials, the State Coordinator of the SPAK II Programme, Hajiya Aishatu Ibrahim Lemu, said the initiative, implemented in partnership with the Federation of Muslim Women's Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) and the International Budget Partnership (IBP), is designed to promote accountability and responsiveness in the health sector.
She explained that the programme places particular emphasis on strengthening Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) to ensure that pregnant women, nursing mothers, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups have access to quality healthcare services.
According to her, the programme seeks to increase awareness among community members and health workers while promoting an effective feedback mechanism that enables government to understand and respond to the health needs of vulnerable populations.
"Our goal is to strengthen the relationship between communities and health officials so that citizens can access quality healthcare services without fear, intimidation, or discrimination," she said.
Hajiya Aishatu noted that the sensitisation meeting was organised to improve collaboration and mutual understanding between Ward Development Committees and healthcare workers, thereby enhancing the implementation of government health policies at the grassroots.
Also speaking, the Director of Operations of the Niger State Community Care (NiCARE) Programme, Attahiru Shehu Malagi, said the state government remains committed to ensuring that funds allocated to Primary Healthcare Centres are judiciously utilised for the benefit of communities.
He explained that monitoring mechanisms have been put in place to ensure accountability, adding that officials found guilty of financial mismanagement or negligence would face disciplinary measures in line with established procedures.
According to him, the government's priority is to strengthen Primary Healthcare Centres to improve access to quality healthcare services, particularly for the poor, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and persons with disabilities.
Malagi stressed that building strong partnerships between community representatives and healthcare workers is essential to improving service delivery and ensuring that government interventions achieve their intended objectives.
In her remarks, the Deputy Director of Public Enlightenment at the Niger State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Aishatu J. Yahaya, described the programme as an important platform for strengthening accountability in the health sector.
She said the initiative provides an opportunity for Ward Development Committees to engage directly with health officials, monitor the quality of healthcare services, assess how public funds are utilised, and provide feedback that would help improve healthcare delivery at the community level.
According to her, sustained collaboration between healthcare providers and community representatives is critical to ensuring that Primary Healthcare Centres continue to meet the health needs of the people and deliver quality services across Niger State.
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