Technical Advice Connect (TAConnect), a leading provider of technical assistance to states in Nigeria, recently held a three-day workshop in Abuja from March 27 to 29. The workshop aimed to co-create solutions that could enhance the uptake and quality of well-integrated reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCAH+N) services at the primary healthcare (PHC) level in Nigeria.
TAConnect has been providing TA support to states to adapt, adopt, and implement the Group Antenatal Care (G-ANC) service delivery model to improve the uptake and quality of RMNCAH services. Early results from the states that have adopted G-ANC/PNC have shown promising improvement in facility deliveries, postnatal care services, and postpartum family planning.
Following the success of its previous investment and receipt of a new grant to layer HII on the G-ANC model, TAConnect in line with its principles of engagement, convened a RMNCAH+N co-creation workshop as part of deliberate and strategic efforts to design and implement a high impact, sustainable and scalable MNH program by leveraging the diverse expertise of partners and States within the MNH program landscape.
The workshop was well attended by a diverse group of multi-layer stakeholders, including implementing partners and representatives of state governments agencies from the 10 priority BMGF states. Some of the implementing partners in attendance include NOIPolls, Engender Health, AFRIDA, Options Consultancy Services, ARFH Nigeria, Clinton Health Access Initiative, CIHP, JHU/TCI, EXPANDNET, AHNI, Pathfinder International, FHI 360, Marie Stopes Nigeria, Jhpiego, Plan International, Project HOPE, Solina, Alive and Thrive, JSU/M-Rite, and eHealth Africa.
The presence of such a diverse group of stakeholders is a testament to their commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of vulnerable populations in Nigeria. During the workshop, these public health experts proposed and prioritized interventions to address key challenges impacting uptake of RMNCAH+N high impact interventions at the facility and community level with deliberate attention to gender integration, use of iterative evidence and scalability of interventions. Participants delved into a variety of themes related to RMNCAH+N during breakout session and brainstormed on evidence-based interventions and best practices. This also involved contextualizing points of integration of the interventions at various stages of antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum periods, with a particular focus on interventions related to family planning, immunization, maternal and newborn health, and malaria in pregnancy.
The co-creation allowed for rapid ideation and collaborative conversations on pragmatic approaches to the design of the intervention and in a way that created shared understanding and collective decision-making with state and potential TA partners.
The main output of the workshop is an adaptable blueprint that highlights RMNCAH+N bespoke approaches, strategies, and interventions, that are pragmatic and based on best practices and evidence. This will guide the layering of a suite of contextualized high impact interventions on the G-ANC/PNC platform to improve maternal and newborn outcomes across the States.
“The level of collaboration and innovation was inspiring, and we’re excited to see the impact of these interventions on improving RMNCAH+N outcomes. A big thank you to all our partners and stakeholders who made this a success,” said Dr. Lilian Anomnachi, The Executive Director at TAConnect.
