Jigawa Builds Capacity For Its Healthcare Workers On Service Delivery, Accountability

By Mohammed Abubakar Dutse

As part of the strategic move to ensure accountability and strengthen the leadership, planning, as well as systems thinking across the health sector, the Jigawa state government has flagged off a four-day capacity-development workshop for health leaders and managers in the state

The workshop, which is being put together by the Department of Health Research and Statistics of the State Ministry of Health (SMOH), is in collaboration with the, Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) Project Coordination Unit, of the ministry.

This state-level training is a follow up of the national workshop held last month, which convened top health stakeholders from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdullahi Muhammad Kainuwa, while declaring the workshop open, said the initiative was an innovative approach towards ensuring that all the fundings activities, for the sector, including, fundings from donour partners are warehoused in a single basket for efficiency and accountability.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdullahi Kainuwa, made this declaration during the opening session of a four-day capacity-building training for critical stakeholders in the state’s health sector held on Monday 14th July 2025.

The commissioner pledged the state government’s full support for the Federal Government’s Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) initiative, designed to consolidate all health budgetary allocations from federal to local government levels into a unified funding framework.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Aliyu, the commissioner described the initiative as a welcome development that would enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability in public healthcare expenditure.

He explained that the SWAp program would also establish a platform for monitoring donor partners’ activities and aligning them with national and state health policies.

“After this meeting, the next step is to create a website that will consolidate all public health activities under One Plan, One Platform, One Implementation Mechanism, One Evaluation Mechanism, and One Funding Mechanism” the commissioner stated.

The Permanent Secretary had in an earlier remark, acknowledged the commitment of both the Federal and State Governments in championing initiatives that build local capacity and enhance service delivery.

He emphasized that the reform agenda will only succeed through well-coordinated, skilled, and visionary leadership at all levels of the health system.

According to him, “Special commendation is due to the Federal Government of Nigeria for its foresight in driving this reform agenda nationally, and to the Jigawa State Government for taking prompt ownership and implementation at the state level.

“This initiative represents a critical step toward achieving sustainable improvements in health outcomes and delivering quality care to communities.”

Also speaking at the event, the Senior Programme Officer from the Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Gabriel Ikechukwu emphasized that the SWAp initiative would integrate and streamline all public healthcare projects and programs to eliminate fragmentation in policy implementation.

“From anywhere, everyone can access the SWAp website to track activities at any health facility across Nigeria and assess expenditures,” he added.

According to him, the initiative will adopt a more robust approach to addressing healthcare challenges in Nigeria by strengthening coordination for better results.

In his remarks, the SWAp Coordinating Officer for Jigawa State and Special Adviser to the Governor, Dr. Atiku Hafizu, disclosed that 70 stakeholders were participating in the workshop.

He noted that the training would equip participants with the necessary knowledge about the program and clarify their roles in achieving its objectives.

Presentations and technical lectures are currently being delivered by experts from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), covering topics that are both practical and policy-oriented.

The sessions are highly interactive, blending theory with hands-on exercises aimed at building real-world competencies.

Participants include Directors and State Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) Officers from both the State Ministry of Health (SMOH) and the Jigawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (JSPHCDA).

Also present are Programme Managers responsible for key service areas such as Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH), Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI), Family Planning, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Tuberculosis (TB), Immunization, IMPACT Project, Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), SEMSAS, and the State Reproductive Health Coordinator from JSPHCDA. Planning Officers from both SMOH and JSPHCDA, as well as M&E Officers from all 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Also in attendance were key development partners, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Lafiya Project, Society for Family Health (SFH), Jhpiego, Nutrition International, among others.

The four-day agenda features deep dives into the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), Jigawa’s reform journey, and national flagship initiatives such as the HOPE Project and MAMII. Sessions include system integration, data for decision-making, performance dialogue, problem-solving approaches, and health systems thinking.

A core component of the training is the hands-on use of the web-based Annual Operational Plan (AOP) Tool, where participants are actively engaging in real-time demonstrations on administration, planning matrix, priority setting, ingredient-based costing, resource mapping, and performance monitoring.

The outcome will be practical, costed, and results-focused LGAs and facility-level plans aligned with national expectations.

This workshop not only strengthens institutional capacity but also serves as a model of effective collaboration between federal and state governments, supported by partners.

It reflects a shared vision of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and building a resilient, data-driven, and people-centered health system in Jigawa and Nigeria at large.