Coaching takes place at the family planning unit of Children Specialist Hospital in centre Igboro, Ilorin South LGA, Kwara State.
Kwara State is one of the states in Nigeria currently receiving support from The Challenge Initiative (TCI) to implement, own, and drive its family planning (FP) program. Since July 2022, TCI has been providing coaching to implement a package of high-impact practices and other interventions (HIPs & HIIs) across 30 facilities in eight local government areas (LGAs) in Kwara State.
Program managers and policymakers in Kwara State are strengthening capacity to implement HIPs & HIIs and scale them across other non-TCI supported LGAs to complement TCIs efforts. They also seek to bridge the unmet need gap, stimulate access to quality FP services, facilitate an enabling policy environment, and ensure financial investments to sustain access to contraceptives for men and women of reproductive age in the state.
Recently, after about a year of engagement, TCI’s management team met with Kwara State stakeholders to evaluate program performance, support the documentation of learning, and develop strategies to improve the state’s FP outcomes.
Policymakers, technocrats, and community members all jointly reviewed state program performance with TCI across set indicators such as demand generation (social mobilization), FP client volume, and financial investment for FP among others. The Permanent Secretary of the Kwara State Ministry of Health, Dr. Abubakar Ayinla, shared the state’s experience regarding program coordination and managing non-state actors while modeling TCI’s unique approach for possible adaptation.
TCI has set the pace and standard for many partners in the state. Their (TCI’s) approach is a state-led one that is practical and not just on paper, and allows us (Government) to grab the steering wheel while occupying the driver’s seat in our FP/AYSRH programming while they (TCI) provide coaching and mentoring and all the technical assistance we need. With this approach, we see sustainability of our achievements a reality even long after they (TCI) exit our State.”
The Director of Public Health noted:
TCI’s approach is innovative. We have never had it like this before with any of our partners. We are challenged and committed to follow through the whole partnership while we also work at doing better with matching up our domestic funding.”
The Director of Public Health particularly appreciated the review of data trends that helped to evaluate their performance, milestones achieved, and lessons learned, saying:
I am really impressed and touched by the rich, detailed, and deep data presentation. I was glued from the start to finish. The data reflects where we are and where we are not doing well. We will ensure we crystallize this information and make use of it appropriately for better FP outcomes in Kwara State. I particularly like where data showed a reduction in teenage pregnancies and abortion among young people and I can infer that it was as a result of the increased uptake of FP services among young people – even though I know it could have been a lot better. Data like this makes me happy.”
These technical and management visits to supported states strengthens TCI’s partnership and boosts the confidence of government staff to lead and drive implementation for better FP/AYSRH outcomes. Kwara State continues to demonstrate program ownership by investing in FP, improving coordination, managing and using data for decision-making, and sustaining access to quality contraceptive services.
