Charles Ekanem|25 January 2017
Cuso International is a development organization that works to reduce poverty and inequality through the efforts of highly skilled volunteers, collaborative partnerships and compassionate donors. Such is their partnership with Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency in area of providing human resource to boast policy implementation, health plans, monitoring and evaluation through their volunteer scheme from Canada.
Following the signing of an agreement between the CRSPHCDA and CUSO at the CUSO country office in Calabar, there was a formal handing over of the monitoring and evaluation specialist to the Agency.
Presenting the Volunteer from Canada, Dr Uko Ekott who led the CUSO delegation said the purpose of the support is to institutionalize a robust working relationship with the Agency and also assist the state to design, review and implement its primary health care plan in line with the VOICE AQHS project objectives in Cross River State.
According to him, the volunteer Ginette Potentier will Support the review of the Primary Health Care Operational Plan, assess and map gaps in existing knowledge management and learning structures across the technical part of the agency, work with staff to develop comprehensive processes and systems to create, acquire, capture, share and use knowledge to enable learning in line with the objectives, values and policies of the agency and finally coach and mentor relevant staff of agency directly involved with monitoring and evaluation, health information management systems to strengthen the partnership framework of the Agency.
He went further to state that the volunteer, Ginette Potentiers has only 10 weeks to spend in Nigeria before going back to Canada and afterward would be replaced with another volunteer who will be coming in to continue from were she stops.
Earlier Speaking, DG CRSPHCDA, Dr Betta Edu said with Support of CUSO the Agency will have organizational capacity to boast it's Monitoring, Evaluation and Accountability process which is one of the major focus point. " The State is delighted to receive support from CUSO especially in the area of M&E which is a very strong pillar for the health system of the state. We have no doubt that her professionalism and wealth of experience will help strengthen M&E system in the health system said Dr Edu.
Stressing further, the DG said for sustainability of volunteer scheme, the Agency will appeal to CUSO for more capacity building for her M&E staff across the State.
Also Speaking, Dr Iwara Iwara, Director Community Health said the entire Agency is grateful to CUSO for its sterling performances in areas of providing technical support and manpower resources in M &E which would help strengthen the data management of the State. Dr Ana Onebiene, Director Primary Healthcare said His Department looks forward to working with her, noting that they are a lot of challenges on data from the front line health workers in the field and facilities.
Responding, the Volunteer Ginette Potentier said she hopes to add her perspective about Healths information system and data management to the healthcare system of the state. "Before the expiration of my 10 weeks in the Agency, I will share my wealth of experience through capacity building to the M &E Unit, she noted.
The DG had earlier signed the MOU and working terms of the volunteer at CUSO office as part of the process leading to the official presentation.
Present at the meeting included director of Administration Mr Randy Otu, Mrs Felicia Eyaba SIO, Mrs Agnes Ogogo, State Mobilization Officer, Mr Aleje Edward, M &E officer and staffs of the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit of Agency .
Charles Ekanem
Writes from Calabar
