New RMNCAH-N ​Champion Embark on Advocacy Visits in Gombe State

Following the investiture of RMNCAH-N Champions at the High-level Roundtable Dialogue organized in collaboration with the Gombe State Ministry of Health and the Office of the First Lady, with Support from the Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL), a defined advocacy priority towards improving RMNCAH+N status in the State emerged, necessitating advocacy campaigns to influential dignitaries in the State.

The champions in delivering on their mandate, embarked on various advocacy visits to a number of stakeholders, beginning with the Honorable Commissioner for Health and some selected traditional rulers.

The essence of the advocacy visits was to further highlight maternal mortality and morbidity indices in the state and demand necessary actions, ensuring that there is proper and adequate cash backing of funds for RMNCAH+N activities in the 2023 fiscal year. Champions indicated the need for the creation of a RMNCAH+N desk officer in the State Ministry of Health, amongst other prayers.

The Honorable Commissioner who was pleased to receive the champions, mandated the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health to identify a focal person for RMNCAH+N in the Ministry. He further assured the champions of full support and an enabling environment for the smooth running of the RMNCAH+N programs in the state.  

Alhaji Abdulkadir Abubakar Kwairanga, the Senior District Head of Gombe in his comment stated that he will summon all the traditional title holders in the State including the District Heads, and intimate them about the need to prioritize the health of women, particularly pregnant women, nursing mothers, etc. According to him, all parents and guardians will also be encouraged by their District Heads to provide their children and wards for immunization services.

It is expected that the advocacy visits to this set of authority figures in the State will help to improve RMNCAH-N indices going forward.

By Philip Akoso, │LISDEL.