DIVIDENDS OF DEMOCRACY FROM THE HEALTH SECTOR IN ABIA

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DIVIDENDS OF DEMOCRACY FROM THE HEALTH SECTOR IN ABIA: let me tell us about Saving One Million Lives – Program For Results – SOMLPforR in Nigeria and Abia State Saving One Million Lives Program for Results- SOMLPforR

Saving One million Lives Program for Results is hinged on an innovative financing mechanism.
This is the first Program for Result (PforR) in Nigeria that is providing an opportunity to boldly address governance and management issues towards ensuring –
(i) Greater focus on results;
(ii) Increased accountability;
(iii) Improved measurement of results and outcome;
(iv) Encouragement of innovation.
Abia government is rewarded based on actual improvement as elucidated through two national surveys
• Health Facility surveys and
• House hold (SMART) surveys.
The Program for Result (PforR) indeed is an important reform which will change the way health care is delivered, not just at the PHC but the health sector in general.
The SOML program document plainly states that “CONTINUING BUSINESS AS USUAL IS NOT A VIABLE OPTION.” It goes on to stress that SOML represents “a shift in focus from inputs to focusing on results and outcomes.”
The SOML program is also predicated on the fact that bold innovations and changes in the approach to delivery in the sector are necessary.
The program focuses on six important aspects (“pillars”) of maternal newborn and child health (MNCH) that can save lives and two ‘enablers’.
THE PILLARS ARE:
(i) Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health;
(ii) Improving routine immunization coverage and achieving polio eradication;
(iii) Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV;
(iv) Scaling up access to essential medicines and commodities;
(v) Malaria control;
(vi) Improving child nutrition.
THE TWO ENABLERS ARE:
(i) Strengthening logistics and supply chain management and
(ii) Promoting innovation and use of technology to improve health services.
The above pillars and enablers resulted in development of measurable indicators which is core to SOML interventions/services across the country including Abia State. The Program Development Objective Indicators are:
• Improved quality of care index at health center level.
• Increase in the combined coverage of six key SOML services, under
WHICH WE HAVE;
1. Vaccination coverage among young children (Penta3);
2. Contraceptive prevalence rate (modern methods);
3. Vitamin A supplementation among children 6 months to 5 years of age;
4. Skilled

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