Many groups including the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals, MDAs, lawmakers, CSOs network and other groups in Ebonyi State have commended the civil society Organizations health cluster in their advocacy for improved budgetary allocation and release in the State Health Sector through the Green-the-Red Advocacy Campaign.
The group while reviewing the successes recorded by the program, pledged their commitment to joining the CSOs in the call for improved budgetary allocation and release of funds for the health sector through regular engagement with relevant Stakeholders and media reports on conditions of health facilities in different parts of the State.
Speaking at the leaning series of the project held recently in Abakaliki, the groups took turn to narrate the impacts of the advocacy program sponsored by USAID through Scale Palladium and implemented by Ebonyi CSO Health Sector cluster with DIG Foundation as the anchor organization.
According to speakers at the event, lawmakers, communities and other stakeholders in the health sector are now better informed on current conditions of the State health facilities and areas needing attention in the State budget releases and implementation. They emphasised the need for sustained advocacy through informal engagement to further achieve results in greening the reds in Health Sector budget performance.
Recall that the above groups had in one of the Stakeholders engagement organized by the Green-the-red cluster, committed to joining efforts to drive home the objectives of the campaign through sustained advocacy, media engagements, regular visits to health facilities, tracking of health Budget and regular interface with relevant Stakeholders.
Speaking on behalf of NUJ, the State Chairman Comrade Samson Nwafor and the Secretary, Comrade Nnamdi Akpa thanked the Health cluster CSOs for their advocacy for improved budgetary allocation and health care services in the State through the Green the Red project. They pledged that journalists in the State will continue to collaborate with CSOs, report activities in the State health facilities and draw Government attention areas needing more attention.
On their part, the Network of Civil Society Organizations in the State, assured of their readiness to sustain the campaign even after the funders has left.
Speaking through the Deputy Coordinator, Goodness Mgbaja, the network promised to own the project and would continue to include health sector advocacy in all their programmes and project implementation in the State.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Executive Director of Development and intervention Goals (DIG) Foundation, Chief Oliver Aja Chima who spoke on behalf of the cluster members, the review and Stakeholders engagement was to strategize on ways of sustaining the green the Red Campaign beyond the funding from USAID Palladium. He explained that the funding has been cut short and could not last for a year as earlier proposed.
Mr. Aja emphasised the need to build alliance and strategies for sustainable approach in achieving the desired objectives of the Green the Red project.
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