BaSAM Takes Lead in Development of Health Expenditure Brief and Infographics for Advocacy
By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
In an effort to domesticate its sustainability plan, the Bauchi State Accountability Mechanism for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (BaSAM) has concluded a 2 days stepdown training on health expenditure brief and infographic development that can serve as an advocacy kit to policy makers in Bauchi State.
In a short remarks at the commencement of the workshop held in Hazibal Hotels and Suites Bauchi, Evidence for Action (E4A) State Advisor Khadijah Katagum implore the select participants to pay attention as according to her, “the training will be conducted in a hands on manner”.
While expressing her confidence on the capacity of the participants, Katagum said, “E4A Mamaye Program is supporting BaSAM to develop the brief” but that the entire process was going to be driven by the participants, with E4A on the background, giving technical support where it is required.
Also speaking, the Co-Chair of BaSAM on the CSOs side, Mallam Ibrahim Ladan Wunti commended the participants for their commitment and dedication towards sustaining the activities of BaSAM in the state.
He also mentioned that the activities of BaSAM through it’s evidence based advocacy to policy makers has greatly improved the healthcare system in Bauchi State, particularly in the rural rural areas.
“It is due to activities such as this training workshop, where we develop briefs and infographics based on evidence, that state government pay attention to our advocacies and also act on it for improvement where there are gaps.
“You can also see that the entire process in this workshop is being driven by BaSAM, with little or interference from our technical partners E4A, only where it becomes absolutely necessary”, said the Co-chair.
Ladan thanked E4A Mamaye Program for building Basam’s capacity over the years.
A member of the Evidence Subcommittee of BaSAM who was the lead resource person during the training, Usman Umar Muhammad, expressed his delight with the zeal and enthusiasm exhibited by the participants. He said such commitment is definitely a pathway to sustaining BaSAM activities in Bauchi State.
Our correspondent reports that key advocacy messages were also developed based on the data generated from different documents like the NDHS and other relevant ones.
BaSAM is a coalition of stakeholders in the health sector in Bauchi State, drawn from relevant health related MDAs, CSOs and the Media.