By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

Civil society organizations under the Maternal Accountability Mechanism in Kaduna Initiative (KADMAM) have vowed to intensify advocacy efforts to address the persistent non-remittance of counterpart staff health contributions by the Kaduna State Government to the Contributory Health Management Agency (KADCHMA).

The announcement came during a one-day joint advocacy meeting held on Saturday, July 26, 2025, in Kaduna. The event was organized by KADMAM in collaboration with the International Society of Media in Public Health (ISMPH), EngenderHealth-led consortium partners, other development partners, civil society groups, and media practitioners.

The gathering also focused on strengthening accountability for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH), as well as Primary Health Care (PHC) in Kaduna State.

In his welcome address, KADMAM Co-Chair (CSO), Garba Muhammad, described the planned high-level advocacy to the State Governor as critical to sustaining recent gains in health service delivery.

“We intend to embark on targeted advocacy to the State Governor, urging his intervention as a key step toward sustaining and enhancing the healthcare service delivery achievements of the scheme,” he said.

Muhammad highlighted the impact of previous KADMAM-led advocacy initiatives, including the provision of free airtime by media houses for women-led CSOs to broadcast health programs, and the accelerated disbursement of the 2022 Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) by the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board.

He also commended the ongoing Social and Citizens Accountability for PHC Performance (SCAPP) project, implemented in partnership with BudgIT, which is operational across 200 PHC facilities. The initiative is credited with improving service delivery at the grassroots level.

The meeting emphasized the need for synergy among CSOs, the media, and development partners to promote transparency, equity, and responsiveness in the health sector. It also reaffirmed the collective resolve to ensure that community voices are central in health policymaking.

Speaking on behalf of ISMPH, Programme Director Solomon Dogo described the meeting as “a platform for identifying actionable solutions and building stronger partnerships to improve healthcare outcomes.” He conveyed greetings from ISMPH’s Executive Director, Mrs. Moji Makanjuola.

“Our collaboration is vital in addressing the RMNCAH and PHC agenda and promoting improved health outcomes. Let’s work together to identify actionable solutions and drive meaningful impact,” Dogo added.

In his goodwill message, Isa Gidado, State Team Lead of LISDEL, expressed optimism that the meeting would yield “realistic next steps that can be implemented for the benefit of communities.”

Pathfinder International’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Programme Officer, Ayobami Afape, also disclosed that the organization is leading a high-level advocacy team including Islamic scholar Sheikh Gumi and other influential figures to push for reforms in primary healthcare delivery across the state.

The meeting concluded with a renewed focus on five key priorities: increased healthcare funding, expanded insurance coverage for vulnerable populations, improved infrastructure, greater community participation, and the reduction of health disparities.