Nigeria

White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria is working to hold the Federal Government accountable to their commitments to improving maternal health and access to family planning while advocating at the state level for budget allocations and implementation plans to meet maternal health needs. White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria continues to advocate for passage of the National Health Bill and an increase in health financing to 15% of GDP in order to meet the Abuja target.

WRA Nigeria Organizes Safe Motherhood Panel Discussion and Endorses "Every Woman Every Child" Effort

Recently launched in September at a special event during the MDG Summit in New York, The Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health's Every Woman, Every Child calls for a bold, coordinated effort, building on what has been achieved so far — locally, nationally, regionally and globally. It calls for all partners to unite and take action — through enhanced financing, strengthened policy and improved service delivery.

Nigeria endorsed the Secretary General's Strategy on women's and children's health, and affirms that the initiatives is in full alignment to our existing countryled efforts through the National Health Plan and strategies targeted for implementation for the period 2010 – 2015. This will include financing from the proposed 2 percent of the Consolidated Federal Revenue Capital to be provided in the National Health Bill targeted at pro-poor women's and children's health services.

Nigeria will work towards the integration of services for maternal, newborn and child Health, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as well as strengthening Health Management Information Systems. To reinforce the 2,488 Midwives recently deployed to local health facilities nationwide, Nigeria will introduce a policy to increase the number of core services providers including Community Health Extension Workers and midwives, with a focus on deploying more skilled health staff in rural areas.

Chair of WRA Nigeria Board of Directors and National President of
Medical Women Association of Nigeria Dr. Mma Wokocha welcomes
participants to the meeting

WRA Nigeria members organized a panel discussion with the topic, MDG goals 4 and 5, tracking commitments and holding ourselves accountable. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Dapo Ladipo, President/CEO of the Association for Reproductive and Family Health. Welcome remarks were presented by Dr. Mma Wokocha, Chair of WRA Nigeria Board of Directors, and National President of Nigerian Medical Women Association.

The films "Stories of Mothers Saved from WRA" and "Tracking Commitments for Child Health" from Save the Children were also presented. Copies of Atlas of Birth were also shared to help members advocate for the National Health Bill. The following suggestions were identified from the panel discussion:

• Government, Donor and Local NGO must Provide access to information for women and men, with training on budget tracking and advocacy.
• Stakeholders should mobilize partners for Nigeria Health Campaign (One Voice campaign) with a one united message and demand commitment at the highest level.
• Strengthen, maintain or create a Strong advocacy group (such as the WRA Nigeria Health Campaign) which will map out with National Assembly who are or will be pro-MH senators and get more commitment from them.
• Involve women with disabilities.
• Increase and sustain media involvement and externalizes media strategies focus on MH.
• Promote Girl Child Education at all Levels.