The Politics of Change: Politics, Maternal Newborn and Child Mortality in Nigeria

Changing the Context of Politics for better Delivery

To alter the existing constraining conditions that militate against effective healthcare deliverables especially in the area of maternal and child mortality, it is critical that five issues be addressed.  First is the political context.  There is a need to continuing pressure on the politicians and policy makers to do the right thing.  They need education, information, training and empowerment to ensure effectiveness.  Second, is the technological innovation needed to ensure capacity and capability.  This is important to address the issue of delays, training, ability to utilise available equipment and respond to new policy environment.  Third is the need for civil society to connect, develop effective joint programmes, engage the power brokers and policy makers and engage in massive public education and mobilisation.  A fourth option is to either work on political office holders or make direct entry into the political process to increase the number of committed and credible actors and workers that understand healthcare delivery issues.  Fifth, is for international partners to support and empower civil society organisations, healthcare agencies with the required restructuring and repositioning to understand contemporary discourses, policies and approaches to reforming the sector.

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