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The Life Transformation for Africa initiative is urging the Ebonyi State government to allocate a dedicated budget line in its 2025 fiscal plan for enhanced healthcare services through the Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) program.
The group pointed out that the failure to involve private sector partners in funding and supporting activities is depriving the state of much-needed resources and expertise.
Mr Chimezie Ezeani, Programme Manager of the group, shared his thoughts with journalists in Abakaliki on Saturday, emphasizing the need for private sector involvement in healthcare initiatives.
Ezeani highlighted that the program is a joint initiative between USAID and Nigeria Resource Partners (NRPs), spanning 5 years from October 2020 to October 2025, with USAID providing funding support.
He urged that the 2025 budget capture a dedicated line for ISS, with prompt release of funds, to maximize the impact of healthcare supervision across the state.
He said, ‘Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) is an intervention that facilitates quality improvement by ensuring adequate oversight as well as skills and knowledge transfer to health care service providers.
‘ISS has been accepted, tested and proven to enhance the performance and effectiveness of health care workers.
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‘Strengthening of the health care system enhances quality service delivery, improves performances, encourages two-way communications, enhances team building spirit and problem solving.’
‘The current structure and placement of Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) is suboptimal and, therefore, limits the capacity of integrated supportive supervision to effectively engage through a sector-wide approach for effective implementation.
‘Domestic financing support for Integrated Supportive Supervision is inadequate and there is high dependency on donor funding.
‘Over the years, many health programs have been heavily funded by donors supporting integrated supportive supervision activities, tuberculosis (TB), HIV and others.
‘Although donor support is important, this is mostly unsustainable and has debilitating effects on ISS continuity,’ he added.
