Borno/af-nship Embarks On Week long Coaching, Mentoring Of Health Facility Workers

By Ahmed Abu, The Nigerian Voice, Maiduguri

The Borno State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA) through the Additional Financing -Nigeria Health Investment Project (AF-NSHIP), a World Bank assisted project has embarked on a one week Coaching and Mentoring Supervision in 37 contracted public and private Health Facilities in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Jere Local Government Areas.

This was sequel to Quality Counter Verification (QCV) exercise by National Team from Abuja who were in the state last month, where some gaps relating to Performance Based Finance (PBF) were noticed in most of the facilities.

The Coaching and Mentoring Team which were drawn from National, State and Local Government Primary Healthcare Development Agency, including members of Project Implementation Unit (PIU) aimed at improving and strengthen the health system in the state .

It was also in line with World Bank and Nigerian Government policies towards implementing AF-NSHIP and Performance Based Financing (PBF) with full community participation to ensure judicious and transparent use of funds disbursed quarterly to boost staff morale and improve quality and quantity of healthcare services in the state.

Addressing the Supervisors before going to the field, Executive Director of SPHCDA, Dr. Sule Meleh charged all and sundry to ensure proper coaching and mentoring of the health workers, so that the gaps identified during the last QCV which was conducted by the team from the National, will be addressed using the available domains in the checklists.

Dr. Meleh noted that governor Kashim Shettima is so passionate about the health sector, considering the growing needs for better healthcare service delivery, especially among millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) including those living in the host communities.

The State Coordinator of PIU and the Technical Assistant of AF-NSHIP, Dr. Hyelni Mshelia and Mrs. Christine Mukantwali, called on the Supervisors to take their time and explain to the health workers issues related to PBF, and how best to resolve or fix them accordingly before the next Quality Assessment slated for April this year.

In their separate remarks during the exercise, the Medical Director of State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, Dr. Laraba Bello and Officer In- Charge (OIC) of Zabarmari Clinic, Jere Local Government Area, Sister Saratu Modu thanked the World Bank and the Federal Government to ensure that Borno benefits in the AF-NSHIP, assuring that they have already key into the project to address some of the challenges in the health sector. End