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Stakeholders must ensure thorough analysis of every stage of the Budget Process

  .ask NGO.s, CSO to guarantee People Centered Budget Advocacy

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A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) tagged “Development , Integrity ,Intervention Goals Foundation (DIG) with support from United States Agency For International Development (USAID) & Integrated Health Programme (IHP) recently  organized  a 2-Day Training Workshop for World Development Committees, Civil Society Organizations, (CSOs) Media , on the provisions of Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and Budget Process …Correspondent Clement Nnachi reports.

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Experts and Resource Persons have urged Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Media Organizations and Ward Development Committees, to embark on Budget Advocacy as a tool for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), participate on budgetary allocation with reference to prioritizing Healthcare delivery .

The Workshop organized to create participants knowledge to provisions of National Health Provision Policy, Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) Budget Process as a tool for holding Leaders accountable .

They called for thorough analysis of every stage of the Budget Process including Formulation, Approval, Execution/Implementation and Evaluation to ensure that

The  Workshop drew participants from Ward Development Committees, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Media and Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), Experts and Resource Persons across various disciplines.

The USAID/DIG and IHP  training workshop evolved lecture topics including “Understanding the Roles of Stakeholders/NGOs in Basic Healthcare Provision Fund” its Responsibilities under National Health Provision Policy (NHPP) Budget Process/Sources of Budget Information /Strategies, Budget tracking/tools for budget analysis ,with emphasis on Strengthening  Health Systems, increasing Access, improving quality of Integrated  Primary Health care Services in Ebonyi State.

Delivering a Lecture titled “Budget Advocacy” a Resource Person Dr Emma Abah, called on Non-Governmental Organizations to get involved in “People Centered Budget Advocacy, focusing on how Government Resources were spent and how allocations address the needs of different population .

 

“People Centered Advocacy is about people speaking and fighting for themselves , drawing attention of important members of the community and decision makers to Budget and directing the Decision Makers towards a Solution “

 

“it is about lobbying and campaigning to change the way Public Resources are used to deliver Health Services, ensure that Civil Society Groups have more opportunity to influence how government prioritize Health Spending”

 

On Specific roles of Civil Societies in Budget Tracking , Dr Abah emphasized that CSOs must be engaged in budget process from Formulation Stage to implementation level in addition to carrying out Health Needs Assessment /advocating for Better Primary Health care Services and training members of the Public on government budgets.

 

“While running for Advocacy the Media  should not be left out, the media is a vital tool for any successful advocacy media Coverage adds credibility to the message

 

Dr Abah reiterated that Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) must track and monitor government spending at National ,State and Local Government Levels .

 

“The monitoring of government spending by Citizens and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), is a Social Accountability strategy that seeks to track the flow of Public Resources from the highest jewel of government to frontline Service Providers of beneficiaries”

 

On why NGOs should track Health Budgets, Dr Abah said that the objectives was to ensure that Resources were fully and responsibly utilized for the intended purposes including an effective way of contributing to the feedback process about key Government Services delivered at the Local Government Levels.

 

“We track Health Budget to ensure assess to inefficiencies such as Leakages in Public Expenditure  System ,useful approach to achieving Accountability , helping to fill the gap in Information on Public Expenditure and Resource Use at the Decentralized Level of tracing expenditure flows”

 

Earlier while giving an insight into the basics and fundamental principles of the workshop Mr Mgbegbu Azubuike, stressed that government at levels must prioritize the    needs of the people .

 

“Participants should be able to track budget flows embark on budget Advocacy ,enlighten the people on what budget particularly as it concerns the health sector to ensure that appropriation for health sector were fully utilized to achieve UniversalHealth Coverage”

 

Earlier in an opening remarks on the Roles and Responsibilities  of “Integrated Health Programme (IHP), Mrs Ugwuagba Chinelo, said that the work of IHP is a USAID Project aimed at contributing to the reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity .

 

“IHP is Evidence Based ,it is based on Data ,CSO have a role to play to ensure Health care Delivery, take a look at our health centers,access their performance”

 

“Participants must sensitize the people and ensure that Rural Populace have access quality health care,prioritize Health Institutions in their Localities inorder to achieve health for all”

 

Besides, Stakeholders and Participants developed a Strategic Plan for the actualization of “People Centered Advocacy” where people speak up on issues affecting the Heath Sector and  proffer solution on tackling the numerous challenges affecting healthcare in the country.

 

Participants were unanimous that Governments at all levels have a responsibility to maintain, protect and improve the health of its citizens .

 

“The design and implementations of Interventions aim at  maximizing value for all the Resources invested , the nation must prioritize healthcare above any other sector of the economy “

 

Participants developed WorK Plan on Issues, Goals ,Objectives Target Audience Message Development, Communication Channel ,Building Support ,Fund Raising ,Implementation and Data Collection’

 

It would be noted that the “Development ,Integrity ,Intervention Goals Foundation (DIG), in collaboration with  Integrated Health Programme (IHP), has among other objectives to strengthen the Health System, improve health care, ensure improved Budgetary Allocation to a Health Sector among others.

 

To achieve this the “Development Integrity Intervention Goal Foundation (DIG), partners with Integrated Health Programme (IHP),Department  For International Development (DFID), World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Society for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, all geared towards reduction of maternal/infant morbidity in the country.

 

 

 

 

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