UNICEF Strengthens Health Leadership, Governance in Adamawa, Sokoto, Kwara

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Development Governance International (DGI) Consult have bolstered leadership, governance, and management capabilities of health sector stakeholders in Adamawa, Sokoto, and Kwara States to enhance reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCAH+N) and gender-based violence (GBV) program outcomes.

This initiative followed a series of state-level workshops on leadership, governance, and management capacity strengthening, organized under the Enhancing Leadership, Governance and Management Capacities (ELGMC) project. These workshops, held in the three state capitals, convened senior government officials, health institution heads, program managers, local government representatives, development partners, and other stakeholders to devise solutions to leadership and health system challenges.

UNICEF Health Systems Specialist, Dr. Emmanuel Emedo, emphasized during a workshop that leadership is crucial for translating investments and technical expertise into improved health outcomes. He stressed that technical expertise alone is insufficient for effective healthcare delivery, highlighting the need for health professionals in leadership positions to acquire competencies required for effective resource and institution management.

Emedo pointed out that strengthening leadership capacity has become increasingly important, as governments are expected to take greater ownership of health programs amid shifts in the global development financing landscape.

The workshops employed an interactive, competency-based, and solution-focused approach, enabling participants to analyze real health system challenges and develop practical responses. Key topics covered included strategic planning, coordination, results-based management, financial management, human resources for health, resource optimization, and utilizing data for decision-making.

Participants in the three states also established a shared RMNCAH+N vision and examined a draft RMNCAH+N results framework to convert priorities into measurable results, bolster accountability, and guide program implementation.

In Kwara State, where significant advancements have been made in maternal and child health, stakeholders stressed the necessity of fortifying leadership and management capacities at local government and facility levels to maintain progress and address existing gaps. Dr. Amina El-Imam, the Commissioner for Health in Kwara State, expressed gratitude for UNICEF and development partners' support and emphasized the importance of consolidating the state's achievements while tackling shortcomings in governance, leadership, resource management, and quality service delivery.

Prof. Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, stressed the critical role of enhancing the management competencies of health workers, particularly officers-in-charge, in converting the state's health vision into tangible results.

Zirra Mathias Bubanani, the Permanent Secretary of the Adamawa State Ministry of Health, urged participants to apply their newfound knowledge within their institutions and assist colleagues in improving leadership, governance, and management practices. Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar Wurno, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, commended UNICEF and DGI Consult for their intervention and affirmed the state government's commitment to implementing the project's priorities.

Dr. Gafar Alawode, the Chief Executive Officer of DGI Consult, highlighted that the ELGMC project goes beyond traditional training by equipping health leaders with the necessary competencies and systems to solve practical problems and improve institutional performance. The project is informed by evidence from baseline assessments, which identified institutional strengths and gaps across the three states.

Alawode stated that the project aims to develop competent leaders and managers capable of resolving critical health sector issues, strengthening systems, optimizing resources, and ultimately enhancing access to quality healthcare.