The Kaduna State Government will commence the onboarding of chairmen of the 22 local government areas into the Open Government Partnership (OGP) framework as part of efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability and primary healthcare service delivery in the state.
The onboarding programme, scheduled for June 15 and 16, will be followed by a Leadership Dialogue on Strengthening Primary Health Care Systems on June 17 in Abuja.
The events are being organised by the Kaduna State Ministry of Health and the Planning and Budget Commission in collaboration with the EngenderHealth-led consortium and other stakeholders.
According to the organisers, the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State will declare the meetings open, with participants drawn from local government councils, government agencies, development partners, civil society organisations (CSOs) and other relevant stakeholders.
The onboarding programme is expected to acquaint local government chairmen with the principles and benefits of open governance and expose them to successful sub-national OGP implementation models.
A major highlight of the event will be a presentation by the Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM) on the role of civil society in improving health service delivery through collaboration with government and communities.
Participants will also deliberate on primary healthcare delivery, local government OGP structures, development of health-focused action plans and strategies for implementing governance reforms at the grassroots.
The workshop is expected to produce health-focused OGP action plans and establish local OGP steering committees comprising government and civil society representatives.
The organisers said the initiative is aimed at deepening transparency, accountability and citizen participation while strengthening local ownership of health sector reforms.
The Leadership Dialogue on Strengthening Primary Health Care Systems will focus on local government responsibilities under the National Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) and the Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) policy.
The dialogue will also explore ways of strengthening collaboration between the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board and local government councils, while promoting community participation and accountability in healthcare delivery.
Stakeholders are expected to discuss strategies for improving leadership, coordination and sustainable financing of primary healthcare services at the grassroots.
The meeting forms part of ongoing efforts by the Kaduna State Government and its partners to strengthen the health system and improve service delivery across the state.
