By Becky Maina
The Gombe State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Coordination Office and JHPIEGO, has convened a one-day dissemination meeting on the findings of the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) assessment and the Bill of Quantities analysis.
The meeting, held at Mahcozy Hotel in Gombe, aimed to strengthen maternal and newborn health services through evidence-based interventions, planning, and strategic investments.
The forum brought together policymakers, technical officers, and development partners to discuss the findings, identify service delivery gaps, and develop actionable strategies for improving maternal and newborn outcomes in the state.
Delivering his address, the commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, emphasised the significance of the dissemination exercise following the completed facility assessment. He described it as a timely opportunity to reflect on the findings and take coordinated action to address the identified gaps.
“Having done the assessment, we are now disseminating the findings. This occasion offers us the opportunity to review the gaps and collectively determine the best strategies to bridge them for better health system performance,” he said.
Dr Dahiru explained that the assessment had revealed critical deficiencies in infrastructure, equipment, and human resources across the evaluated facilities, and stressed the need for a comprehensive, holistic response.
“When we talk about comprehensive, we mean holistic. The assessment revealed gaps ranging from infrastructure and equipment to personnel. Disseminating this information allows us to focus on the health and wellbeing of women and children from preconception through conception, labour, delivery, and the postpartum period,” he added.
He highlighted the pivotal role of the CEmONC programme, which spans antenatal care, childbirth, labour, postpartum care, breastfeeding, immunisation, and child welfare services.
Dr Dahiru underlined that achieving quality care requires the input of skilled professionals including midwives, nurses, medical officers, and those working in comprehensive sexual and reproductive health, especially in emergencies.
“These elements together will improve the overall health outcomes of women and children of childbearing age in Gombe State,” he said.
Dr Dahiru affirmed the state government’s commitment to responding to the assessment findings: “Following this dissemination, the Honourable Minister of Health, the State Governor, and the Ministry of Health will collaborate to ensure that the identified gaps are addressed, ultimately delivering a full, comprehensive health package for women and children in Gombe State.”
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Ibrahim Yakubu, emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among health actors.
“Improving health outcomes, especially for women and children, is a collective responsibility. We need teamwork to ensure no mother or baby dies from preventable cause” He added .
Speaking on the strategic importance of the data gathered from the facility assessments, Dr Suraj Abdulkarim, SWAp Coordinator and Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Health, emphasised the value of evidence-based planning in strengthening Nigeria’s health system.
“We now have reliable data that identifies which facilities lack personnel, equipment, or essential drugs. This gives us a clear picture of the gaps, helping us to plan more effectively and deploy both human and material resources where they are needed most,” he stated.
Dr Abdulkarim noted that the data would serve as a strategic guide for resource mobilisation, enabling both federal and state governments, as well as development partners, to invest wisely and equitably in the health sector.
The assessments, he added, provide the baseline needed to track progress and ensure accountability.
He further highlighted that the CEmONC programme (Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care) is a flagship initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, designed to address Nigeria’s high rates of maternal and infant mortality.
“The goal is to ensure that at least one health facility in each of the 774 local government areas across Nigeria is equipped and functional to provide comprehensive obstetric and newborn care services,” Dr Abdulkarim explained.
Delivering remarks on behalf of the National SWAp Coordinator, Dr Muntaqua Sadiq Umar, a representative from the Abuja-based SWAp Coordination Office, Mr Abubakar B. Umar, noted the broader national context for the assessment and the state’s role in advancing health system reforms.
“You may wish to recall that in line with the NHAct Corporate Governance, the NHSRII Compact was signed between the Federal and State Governments and Development Partners in December 2023. The idea is to ensure that every Local Government Area (LGA) has at least one functional secondary healthcare facility to bridge the gap in emergency health services,he said.
He explained that at the time the compact was signed, the exact number of functional secondary health facilities per LGA was unclear. As such, the HOPE Project’s Disbursement Linked Indicator (DLI) 1.2 which focuses on increasing the number of refurbished and empanelled CEmONC facilities—was designed to help meet this target. This DLI also aligns with DLI 5.2 and DLI 7.
“The SWAp Coordination Office intends to assist states to achieve this goal by providing support to get a proper database for informed decision-making,”he added.
Mr. Umar noted that USAID had engaged JHPIEGO to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the primary healthcare facilities across states, including Gombe. The results, he said, would be vital for addressing the gaps identified in service delivery.
He formally presented four key reports to the Gombe State Ministry of Health, which are; Service Delivery Report– assessing services, human resources, equipment, and capacity versus standards, Narrative Report – reviewing infrastructure in the facilities.
Others are, Gaps Identified – an aggregation of critical shortcomings in PHCs, and Bill of Quantities (BoQ) – a practical tool to speed up contract processes in identified facilities.
“The hope is that for states that have identified the secondary facilities, the BOQ can be used to get contracts signed faster,” he explained.
He assured participants that the federal government would not leave states to handle these reforms alone. “The Honourable Coordinating Minister will engage the governors probably at the Governors’ Forum to agree on what aspects the states will handle and what the federal government will take on,” he noted.
Mr. Umar congratulated all stakeholders and expressed optimism: “This is the beginning of great things in ensuring we improve the health outcomes for the good people of Gombe State.”
Representing JHPIEGO, Jennyfar Don Aki praised the collaboration and reiterated the importance of utilising data for targeted impact.
“Gombe has shown commitment to health sector reform. We’re proud to be part of this journey and will continue to support the implementation of these findings to save the lives of mothers and babies,” she said.
Dr Umar Faruk Ismail, WHO Representative, emphasised sustainability and capacity building.
“The assessment gives us a roadmap to strengthen emergency obstetric and newborn care. WHO will continue to support Gombe State to build resilient systems that deliver quality care, especially in rural areas,” he noted.
On his part, Bajowa Lanre of UNFPA underscored the urgency of addressing gaps in service delivery, stating that,
“Every mother and newborn deserves quality care. The gaps identified through this assessment are a call to action. UNFPA remains committed to working with the state to scale up maternal and reproductive health services,” he stated.
Development partners present at the meeting, as observed by our reporter, includes Jennyfar Don Aki of JHPIEGO, Dr Umar Faruk Ismail of the World Health Organization (WHO), and Dr Bajowa Lanre of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
WorldClass247News, learnt that, the dissemination meeting marks another step in Gombe State’s commitment to reducing maternal and newborn deaths through data-driven planning, improved infrastructure, strategic health workforce deployment, and strong multi-sectoral partnerships.