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Executive Chairman of BASPHCDA, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed leading other dignitaries at the flag-off of the training
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
A collaboration between the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (BPHCDA) and UNICEF has built the capacity of 32 facilitators on gender-responsiveness in PHC delivery in the sociocultural system of Bauchi state.
These facilitators will in turn lead the training of 646 community-based frontline Healthcare workers who attend to families siting the PHC centers across the 20 LGAs in the state.
The disclosure was made by Bauchi UNICEF Field Office Health Specialist, Dr Emmanuel who spoke on behalf of the Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Mr. Tushar Rane, during the flagging off of a 3-day training of Primary Health Care Service Providers on Gender-Responsive Healthcare delivery in Bauchi held at the Conference hall of Toro LGA on Thursday.
He explained that the training was necessitated by the lack of female practitioners and poor health staff behaviors which have been identified, among other factors, as hinderances to the demand for health care among pregnant and parenting young people, and adolescents in Bauchi.
He further said that by embedding gender responsiveness in the PHC system, it can amplify the rights and dignity of clients, most importantly women and adolescent girls.
It is envisaged that, following the training, the frontline. health workers will be empowered to stir up the demand for PHC services, especially with regards to antenatal and postnatal care, skill birth attendance, child immunization and others.
According to him, the BPHCDA has put in place the mechanisms for monitoring and refreshing the knowledge of the frontline workers after the training, in order to ensure the sustainability of the activity.
Emmanuel added that UNICEF and partners have also formulated qualitative indicators to periodically assess the impact of training and inform on challenges health workers may be facing in applying gender responsiveness in PHC delivery.
According to him, “This training is part of a wider health sector development initiative, generously funded by the Government and People of Canada, through its agency, Global Affairs Canada” .
He also said that, “The wider initiative is designed to strengthen Primary Health Care (PHC) delivery system especially Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child AND Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) in the state. Commendably, compared to a decade ago, Bauchi state has had an improved trajectory in PHC delivery services in recent years”.
The Health Specialist further said that, “This can be credited to the commitment of the state government under the leadership of the Executive Governor, His Excellency Senator Bala Mohammed-to implementing initiative Chat strengthen the PHC system” .
“Worthy of note among these, is the multi-partner MoU with the Aliko Dangote Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gat Foundation, UNICEF and USAID. The MoU H activated the financing, accountability, coordination
and partnership required for strengthening RMNCAH+N services in the state”.
He stressed that, “Despite the successes of the MoU, the state must keep building on its achievements by working to bridge identified gaps such as in knowledge, gender responsiveness and supply side of RMNCAH delivery” .
“It is on this premise that we are here today, to flag-off this training of health workers on gender responsiveness in healthcare delivery. The training is expected to enhance the awareness and knowledge of the health workers on identifying and addressing gender barriers to healthcare delivery, therefore stimulating increased demand for RMNCAH and related services in the state”, he said.
“On a final note, I wish to express UNICEF’s profound appreciation to His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed and his government for the continued support to UNICEF’s life-saving work in Bauchi state”, he added.
In her brief remarks, UNICEF Gender Consultant, Mrs Kabati Baba-Tokara stressed the importance of gender responsiveness in Healthcare delivery services saying that without such, the aim will not be achieved.
Kabati Baba-Tokara further said that gender issues have remained the setback for effective and efficient Healthcare delivery services in the various health facilities the more reason the training must be undertaken.
She then assured that UNICEF and other partners involved in the training will do their best to equip the healthcare providers the required information on how to deal and handle gender based issues.
