By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
Healthcare service providers in Bauchi State have showered encomiums on EngenderHealth for a successful implementation of the USAID-funded Momentum Safe Surgery Project (MSSFPO) in the state.
The service providers, drawn the Eleven (11) Healthcare Facilities that cut across Six (6) Local Government Areas, have also committed to sustain the knowledge gained in providing quality service on safe surgery in family planning and obstetrics for improved maternal and child health (MNCH) in Bauchi State.
These commendations and pledges were some of the key outcomes at a One-Day Sustainability and Scale-up Meeting organized by the USAID-funded Momentum Safe Surgery Project, held on Friday 7th, 2024 at the Chartwell Hotel Bauchi.
Sharing her experience with our correspondent on the sideline of the event, the Principal Medical Officer of General Hospital Azare Dr. Aisha Shehu said that the system strengthening in safe surgery undertaken by under the Project has reduced the incidents of maternal and child mortality and morbidity at the General Hospital Azare.
“Improved data management training is another area where our health facility has benefited immensely, because quality data enabled us to take informed decisions and address gaps observed in quality service delivery”, Dr. Alisha Shehu said.
Halima Abubakar is a service provider from General Hospital Alkaleri that benefitted from the USAID MOMENTUM Project system strengthening and she also spoke to our correspondent on what the project has inculcated into her.
“For the duration of the project we were taught innovative ways of providing care to patients, especially women, that had undergone fistula repairs, cesarean sections, women circumcisions and other illments that is associated with women. The training has impacted positively on me and I have been cascading down the knowledge to other service providers with a view to having better health outcomes in Bauchi State”, said Halima Abubakar.
Rabiu Abdulwahab, an M&E officer at the Bauchi State Hospitals Management Board (HMB), who also doubles as the MSSFPO Project desk officer at the Board also shared his thoughts.
“All the gaps observed during the stakeholders engagement at the inception of the project, I can say without any fear of contradiction that over 90 percent of such gaps were bridged in the course of implementing the Project in the 11 health facilities selected”.
“The quality of fistula service data in the secondary and tertiary health facilities where the EngenderHealth USAID MOMENTUM intervention has implemented its project has significantly improved through capacity training of medical record officers and provision of laptops for real time data capture and management” , said Abdulwahab.
Earlier in a welcome remark, Country Director of Engender Health, Dr. Kabiru Atta said that the project has transformed healthcare delivery, improved health outcomes, and advanced the quality of life for countless individuals.
Represented by Engender Health’s senior clinical associate, Umar Abdulrazak, Dr. Atta said that the sustainability of the interventions is crucial for ensuring that the progress made continues to benefit future generations.
“We pray for the continued support and commitment of the Government to maintain and build upon these interventions. Your leadership and dedication are key to sustaining the transformation we have initiated”.
“As we move forward, let us reaffirm our collective resolve to sustain these efforts and ensure that the positive changes we have witnessed become a permanent reality. Together, we can create a legacy of improved health and wellbeing for all”, Dr. Atta emphasized.
In his opening address, Bauchi State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Adamu Umar Sambo commended USAID MOMENTUM Project and assured that the State will sustain and further scale up the best practices they will be leaving behind to cover the entire state.
Dr. Sambo said that the State Governor Senator Bala Mohammed is committed to any intervention that would improved the healthcare outcomes of the State.
The Commissioner also said that at the moment, the Government is taking the sector wide approach to healthcare, where no facility, whether Primary, Secondary or Tertiary, will be left behind in system strengthening for optimal performance in healthcare services.
“Bauchi State being one of safest States in Nigeria is home to many displaced people that have since decided to make the State their home and as such, our facilities are overstretched. The available human resource have no option than to deliver without compromise.
“We see such capacity trainings that was carried out by USAID MOMENTUM Project to our service providers as huge contribution that will not be taken for granted. Such trainings has prepared our service providers to perform at optimal level amidst challenges”, the Commissioner said.
There were goodwill messages from other implementing partners.
Highlights of the occasion was presentation of awards to the commissioner of health, executive chairman of the State hospital management board and some service providers for their exceptional performance.