By Rauf Oyewole
The Journalists for Public Health and Development (J4PD) with focus in North East states has strategised on its advocacy drive to achieve development in health, education, water, sanitation, climate and nutrition by holding the leaders to account.
North East which has been ravaged by dreaded terrorist groups, left millions of people in poverty, hunger, homeless and lack of access to quality health services with millions of the kids out-of-school.
The leader of the group, Elizabeth Kah, during a strategic plan for 2025 on advocacy drive on Wednesday, said that the work plan would guide the journalists to know where the people are lacking and how to call the attention of stakeholders on the priority areas.
Kah said that there are many communication gaps in development areas, adding that some locals do not know how to demand for their rights or simply seek medical attention even when it is close to them. “We are focusing more on education and sensitisation. People need to know what they don't even know they need. We have seen many people dying of avoidable deaths. We are out to reduce this,” she said.
She commended the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for collaborating with J4PD in the implementation of its activities in the state assuring that the collaborative effort would yield positive and impactful outcomes.
Also speaking, the Team Lead of USAID State2State, Rabi Ekele said that the importance of the strategic plan was for effective implementation of issues of health, education, water and sanitation and other public health issues.
She added that J4PD, being a dynamic organisation working in the public sector, has a responsibility of getting adequate and accurate information that would create access to health, standard of education and water, sanitation and hygiene.
The State Acting Chairperson, Disability Network Forum, Mainas Ayuba commended J4PD for the partnership with the forum in the area of dissemination of useful information to the public about the state of vulnerable people in the state.
He reiterated that vulnerable people which include people with disabilities need special attention from government and other relevant institutions and agencies in order to get the required attention.
The Executive Director of LANGA Women, Grace Maikudi said that her organisation has enjoyed an effective relationship with J4PD over the years attributing the successes recorded to the collaborative effort.
The Focal Person in the Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination, Usman Muhammad commended the journalists for sustainable effort in reporting activities of the government in relation to multilateral support.
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