Segun Showunmi in Ibadan
The Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other critical stakeholders in Nigeria’s health sector have called on the Oyo State Government to strengthen civil societies involvement to improved Routine Immunization (RI) and increase utilisation of coronavirus vaccines in the state.
Penpushing reports that the civil societies made the call as part of their recommendations at the end of a two-day review and validation meeting of coronavirus and Health Security Accountability Scorecards for Oyo state, with societies, Young People and the Media, organised by the African Health Budget Network (AHBN).
The organisations urged the Oyo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency to strengthen community and Civil Society Organisations involvement to increase utilization of coronavirus vaccines, improve routine immunization performance and support factual public information on coronavirus in the state.
Penpushing further reports that, the recommendations released by organisations called on the Oyo state government to make available resources and institutionalize financing mechanism for health security including coronavirus equitable recovery.
The Civil Society Organisations equally tasked the state government on the availability of adequate coronavirus vaccines in all the state’s vaccination centers, aimed at increasing uptake of the vaccines.
Penpushing also reports that the organisations called for the engagement of the state ministry of health for collaboration to monitor/track allocation, donors support, loans and government releases for health security and coronavirus.
“The state government should ensure that the state ministries of health and finance publish the state government’s 2020, 2021 and 2022 COVID-19 and Health Security expenditure report’, the organisations emphasised.
“The federal government must find ingenious ways to improve routine immunization coverage in the state. It is also important to the call for the prompt release of all budgeted funds for immunization related activities’.
“This is important because it will enable the state and the country at large to have a healthy population,” says Dr Musa Muhammad Bello, Department of Community Medicine, Bayero University/Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital’.
‘The COVID-19 and health security accountability scorecard were developed through adaptation of indicators from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Joint External Evaluation and tool for evaluation of International Health Regulation (IHR) 2nd edition’.
‘Review of government documents including budget and presentations, review of COVID-19 related government online dashboards, advocacy/retreat meetings with relevant government agencies, CSOs, media and young people.
Penpushing reports that the scorecard was developed to report Civil Society Organisations review on Oyo state’s capacity on preparedness and response to health security and coronavirus, and serves as an evidence tool to be used by all stakeholders including civil society organisations, professionals, media, advocates, young people and development partners to strategically influence actions that will mobilize resources, promote prudent spending, transparency and accountability of COVID-19 and health security fund.
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