Stakeholders meet with TCI’s Management Team for a technical review in Osun State.
After 10 months of supporting Osun State to implement The Challenge Initiative’s (TCI’s) high-impact practices and other interventions (HIPs & HIIs), TCI’s Management Team in Nigeria recently conducted a performance review with state stakeholders to learn more about their progress, challenges and efforts to improve family planning outcomes.
With support from TCI, Osun State has made strides towards improving access to family planning services through the implementation of a comprehensive family planning program using HIPs & HIIs. This includes promoting informed decision-making and achieving sustainable health outcomes.
As the team celebrated the initial success of Osun State’s family planning program, various stakeholders who have played a role in these achievements provided the following insights. Dr. Famakinwa Olakunle, Deputy Director, Planning Research and Statistics, noted:
Without TCI, some of our inefficiencies would not have been addressed.”
Drawing attention to Osun State’s efforts in strengthening the capacity of service providers and using data for decision-making, Dr. Adewale A. Aderibigbe, the Director of Medical Services and Disease Control at the Primary Health Care Board, re-emphasized the value-add from partnering with TCI and the importance of data management and use, saying:
…the support received from TCI cuts across creation of demand for family planning through various mobilization activities, training of service providers on LARC (long-acting reversible contraceptives) provision, and technical assistance on data management to all government staff who handle data across all levels in the State.”
Reaffirming Osun State’s commitment to family planning programming, Dr Akeem Bello, the Director of Public Health with the state Ministry of Health, stated:
We are feeling TCI’s impact in the state, and I assure you, you will get the buy-in of the leaders of the state to ensure that the FP program succeeds.”
Commitments such as this from key policymakers engender the mindset change promoted by TCI, with local leaders in the driver’s seat, to help advance and sustain the family planning agenda of Osun state.
