Kaduna Pushes Partnerships, Advocacy To Cut Maternal, Child Deaths

The Kaduna State Ministry of Health has called for collaboration among stakeholders in achieving long-term goals under the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent, and Elderly Health (RMNCAEH) initiative.

The RMNCAEH Desk Officer, Aliyah Ramalan, made the call during a presentation at a workshop on developing and implementing Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) advocacy initiatives on Wednesday in Kaduna State.

The workshop was organised by the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI) in collaboration with EngenderHealth consortium partners.

Ramalan said the training aimed to advance reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) and strengthen primary healthcare systems across the state through policy advocacy and stakeholder collaboration.

Ramalan said the state had implemented several policies and initiatives to improve outcomes for vulnerable groups, including mothers, children, adolescents, and the elderly, through various integrated and targeted health strategies.

The strategies include capacity building, integrated service delivery, community engagement, health education and promotion, policy advocacy, data monitoring systems, and development of partnerships and innovation.

She added that emergency preparedness, research, and continuous stakeholder engagement also formed part of the state’s integrated approach to improving RMNCAEH outcomes across Kaduna’s communities and primary healthcare facilities.

According to Ramalan, the state’s health policy prioritises inclusive and equitable health services. “Maternal and child health are considered central pillars in the broader public health and development agenda,” she said.

Speaking further, she said the RMNCAEH framework in Kaduna was guided by a multi-stakeholder approach, driven by government leadership with support from civil society, the private sector, academia, and local communities.

She also noted that Kaduna State is strengthening its Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) under the “One Functional PHC per Ward” policy to ensure improved access to essential health services for all.

She added that accountability structures like the Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM) and the RMNCAEH scorecard are both used to track performance, identify gaps, and improve service delivery.

According to her, the scorecard helped inform decisions by providing real-time data on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, and elderly health indicators across Local Government Areas.

Ramalan, however, highlighted the Strategic State Health Development Plan, Adolescent and Young Persons’ Health Policy, and the Integrated RMNCAEH Strategy as key policy frameworks guiding the state’s healthcare agenda.

She said the state had adopted additional initiatives, including policies on reproductive health for persons with disabilities and standardised self-care guidelines for maternal and sexual health.

“Key RMNCAEH components include prenatal and postnatal care, safe delivery practices, neonatal health services, child immunisation, nutrition, and the management of common childhood illnesses.”

She pointed out that the initiative also supported intersectoral collaboration and data-driven decision-making to improve planning, evaluation, and delivery of healthcare services in a sustainable manner.

The RMNCAEH desk officer also identified challenges such as inadequate funding, socio-economic barriers, limited access to health facilities, cultural beliefs, and inconsistent political will as major obstacles to the success of RMNCAEH.

“These frameworks are crucial for improving health outcomes and ensuring access to quality care. Clear goals, governance, and collaboration can reduce maternal and child mortality significantly,” she said.

The workshop recorded the presence of government officials from relevant ministries, civil society organisations, media representatives, donor partners, and development actors involved in healthcare advocacy and service delivery in Kaduna.

Kaduna Pushes Partnerships, Advocacy To Cut Maternal, Child Deaths is first published on The Whistler Newspaper