SUPPORT-SYSTEMS (22) Q1 What does civil society participation in health policy mean? Why is it important? (10) Government-CSO collaboration

13 May, 2022

Dear Neil,

Thank you for clarifying, further, the definition of civil society organisation (CSO) for this important discussion.

https://www.hifa.org/dgroups-rss/support-systems-20-q1-what-does-civil-s...

Experience has shown us that without Government-CSO collaboration across interventions in the health sector and systems, most plans cannot be implemented fully or inclusively or with equity. The social determinants for health affects the rural, difficult-to-reach parts of LLMICs than the urban and semi urban where those who can afford some health care reside. Incidentally, the CSOs are ubiquitous in the former areas, working and struggling with the poorer segments of the society. These are the areas more likely no to have basic amenities like potable water, regular electricity, functional schools or health facilities - they lack recreational facilities too. In total, implementation of SDG 1: (No Poverty), 2: (Zero Hunger) and 3: (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, at all ages), as cross-cutting issues is more difficult without engaging and empowering the CSOs. Because CSOs are everywhere, they're invaluable for results based monitoring, evaluation, tracking allocated resources and their utilisation and deployment to projects and programmes. One experiential example that comes to mind, immediately is that the first HIV Day Event in Cross River State, Nigeria on 1st December 2004 was successfully planned and executed within 4-weeks, involving almost all the 3.1 million citizens, because we engaged a CSO called WAAM (Women Arise And Move). The CSO had one or more representatives in every town, village, hamlet in the state that enabled it to take our plans and messages to every state citizen. That feat was repeated year on year till 2008, when the nexus between government and CSOs was truncated. The result was that the State reduced sero-prevalence of HIV from 12.0% in 2003 to 6.1% in three years. We were told that it was the highest ever drop in the world at that time.

Joseph Ana.

Prof Joseph Ana

Lead Senior Fellow/ medical consultant.

Africa Center for Clinical Governance Research & Patient Safety (ACCGR&PS)

P: +234 (0) 8063600642

E: info@hri-global.org

8 Amaku Street, State Housing & 20 Eta Agbor Road,

Calabar, Nigeria.

www.hri-global.org

HIFA profile: Joseph Ana is the Lead Consultant and Trainer at the Africa Centre for Clinical Governance Research and Patient Safety in Calabar, Nigeria, established by HRI Global (former HRIWA). In 2015 he won the NMA Award of Excellence for establishing 12-Pillar Clinical Governance, Quality and Safety initiative in Nigeria. He has been the pioneer Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) National Committee on Clinical Governance and Research since 2012. He is also Chairman of the Quality & Performance subcommittee of the Technical Working Group for the implementation of the Nigeria Health Act. He is a pioneer Trustee-Director of the NMF (Nigerian Medical Forum) which took the BMJ to West Africa in 1995. He is particularly interested in strengthening health systems for quality and safety in LMICs. He has written Five books on the 12-Pillar Clinical Governance for LMICs, including a TOOLS for Implementation. He established the Department of Clinical Governance, Servicom & e-health in the Cross River State Ministry of Health, Nigeria in 2007. Website: www.hri-global.org. Joseph is a member of the HIFA Steering Group and the HIFA working group on Community Health Workers.

Website: www.hri-global.com Joseph is a member of the HIFA Steering Group and the HIFA working group on Community Health Workers.

http://www.hifa.org/support/members/joseph-0

http://www.hifa.org/people/steering-group

Email: info@hri-global.org and jneana@yahoo.co.uk