MamaYe Nigeria recently earned another feather for its cap when the commissioner for health in Kano State, Dr Abubakar Labaran, commended Evidence for Action (E4A), the organisation behind the MamaYe campaign, for utilising existing data to advocate for improved accountability, planning and decision making in the health sector.
E4A Nigeria recently earned another feather for its cap when the commissioner for health in Kano State, Dr Abubakar Labaran, commended the organisation for utilising existing data to advocate for improved accountability, planning and decision making in the health sector.During E4A's advocacy visit to the commissioner to mobilise support for evidence gathering, accountability mechanism on MNH and MamaYe launch, Dr Labaran, having recognised the importance of E4A's intervention in maternal and newborn health, approved technical capacity building for Kano State Quarterly Accountability Mechanism.Further interactions on agenda of E4A for the development of MNH in collaboration with Kano State Ministry of Health resulted in the Ministry's approval of data collection from the State's health facilities on blood banks and drugs; community perception on voluntary blood donation in collaboration with department of planning and research; use of information to inform interventions; and sharing of information on health sector budget, including result matrix and medium term sector strategy information.The health ministry also agreed to revive its state standing committee on blood donation as a preparation for the MamaYe campaign.Dr Labaran later called on the State Ministry of Health to start a quarterly health newsletter, commencing with Jan-March 2013 edition.The commissioner wanted the newsletter to capture progress and updates of what government and partners are doing in the State, plus key performance indicators in the health sector. He also called on E4A to support the ministry to achieve successful publication of the newsletter.