Adamawa gets new SBC draft strategy, unveils TWG
Adamawa State has developed a working Social Behavioral Change (SBC) draft strategy following a four-day intensive brainstorming sessions by various stakeholders including Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), media and health workers.
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It also unveiled a seven-man Technical Working Group (TWG) that will ensure the successful implementation of the SBC draft.
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The development has addressed the policy gap in SBC administration in the state occasioned by the absence of a working document to ensure optimal service delivery and compliance.
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The four day workshop was organized by The Challenge Initiative (TCI) in response to the need for a change in behavior of the people towards some myths, inhibitions and misconceptions in accessing and the provision of healthcare services around some thematic areas.
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The areas include; family planning, Nutrition, immunization, HIV/AIDS, Health Promotion, Adolescence and Youth Sexual Reproduction Health (AYSRH) and RH in Adamawa State.
The objectives of the four day training include; identifying gaps in SBC programming in the state, developing a strategy document for SBC intervention in the state and to utilize the document to ensure effective change of behavior of persons in the putative areas.
At the end of the training, stakeholders unanimously agreed on a far reaching goal which is “To empower Adamawa populace to adopt and promote positive behaviors that will improve their health and we’ll being.”
They also adopted three cardinal objectives thus:
To ensure increase budgeting allocation by 25% on SBC related health issues. To intensify community engagement, participation, ownership and sustainability and to improve knowledge, attitude and practices of all stakeholders on health services in the state.
Commenting on the development, an SBC communication expert, from TCI, Dr.
Olukoya Omotosho noted that such strategy draft, will translate into a win win situation for the people and the health sector.
He urged the TWG members to work round the clock to ensure the draft strategy is fully rooted noting that with determination and hard work, they will overcome all the major challenges and encumbrances that will face them.
“We have had four days of SBC strategy development workshop. We came up with a draft strategy I think to a very large extent I’m satisfied with the output.
“I expect that the leadership that is set up will see to the affairs of SBC and they should ensure that they drive all the SBC interventions in the state be it HIV, malaria, family planning MCH, immunization, nutrition and all the health issues with regards to SBC and they should meet on quarterly basis to look at their work plan which has been developed and follow the work plan to provide technical support towards the implementation of all the activities outlined.
“Every program has its own challenges but it defends on the leadership and it also defend on the enabling environment. If government can provide an enabling environment, a positive environment to drive the intervention and if the leadership is also ready to drive the process, they will be able to overcome the challenges.
“The challenges will surely come but it all defends on the leadership, the enabling environment and the cooperation from members. In the next few months we should be able to see positive changes,” he said.
Also speaking, Rashida Tahir, Director, Community Health Services, Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ADSHCDA) thanked the participants for their resilience and perseverance during the four day intensive workshop.
She also thanked partners and facilitators for their contributions to the success of the exercise particularly TCI which bankrolled the activity.
She also tasked the TWG members to work assiduously to ensure the success of the draft strategy because of the positive impact it will make on the society.
Also commenting, Saadatu Yakubu, Demand Generation Technical Support Lead of TCI urged the leadership to work towards achieving the identified terms of references for the success of the exercise.
She also harped on the need to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation during the implementation of the draft strategy so that they can make the necessary adjustment based on realities on ground.
Also in her remark, the chairperson of the TWG, Rebecca Kwabe expressed confidence that there will be light at the end of the tunnel looking at the calibre of persons in the TWG.
Nevertheless, she called on the support of the TWG members for the overall success of the exercise adding that to whom much is given, much is expected.
