The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board (KSPHCB), in partnership with the EngenderHealth Consortium, has convened a 3-day co-creation workshop in Kaduna to adapt and domesticate the National Ward Development Committee (WDC) Guideline for the state.
Representing the Executive Secretary at the event, the Director of Community Health Services, Mrs. Nafisa Musa Isah, informed participants that the workshop is designed to strengthen community participation in Primary Health Care delivery. She explained that the objective is to review the national guideline and tailor it to Kaduna’s peculiar realities and needs.
Speaking during the opening session, Mrs. Isah highlighted the critical role WDCs play in linking communities to health facilities. She noted that their responsibilities include mobilising communities for immunisation, supporting maternal and child health services, and promoting accountability in health planning processes.
She acknowledged that WDCs have already contributed to improved health outcomes in Kaduna State. However, she stressed that there remains a need to clarify their roles, strengthen their capacity, and establish a clear framework to guide their work across all wards in the state.
The Board reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the outcomes of the workshop and integrating the domesticated guideline into its PHC programmes and strategic plans.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has commended the Kaduna State Government for taking steps to domesticate the National Ward Development Committee operational guidelines. The agency described the 3-day co-creation workshop as timely and consistent with recent national recommendations aimed at strengthening primary health care accountability.
Speaking on behalf of the Agency, Chairperson of the Health Sector Reform Coalition Nigeria, Dr. Muhammed Lecky, stated that the workshop follows a National Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting held in Abuja last month. That meeting marked one year of the Social and Citizen Accountability for Primary Health Care Performance (SCAPP) Project.
The 2-year SCAPP project is implemented by HSRC in partnership with BudgIT and KADMAN, with funding from the Gates Foundation. It focuses on empowering citizens and communities to take ownership of PHC facilities in Kaduna through WDC-led accountability and advocacy initiatives.
A key outcome of the Abuja meeting was the recommendation for Kaduna State to domesticate the WDC guidelines within six months in order to improve PHC performance and accountability at both state and national levels.
Dr. Lecky said the current workshop in Kaduna directly implements that recommendation by bringing together federal, state, and community actors to translate evidence into practical action. He commended the Kaduna State PHC Board, the Ministry of Health, and partners including EngenderHealth for advancing the initiative. He also noted that Kaduna’s experience is helping to elevate lessons to the national level and foster cross-state learning.
In his goodwill message, the Co-chair of the Maternal Accountability Mechanism in Kaduna Initiative (KADMAM) and Kaduna Health Advocacy and Media Alliance (KADHAMA), Comrade Garba Muhammad, appreciated the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, Professor Clara Ejembi, ENGENDERHEALTH, development partners, and CSOs for convening the 3-day co-creation meeting. He noted that the meeting was convened to review and adapt the National Guideline on WDCs to the Kaduna State context.
‘The initiative is timely and strategic in strengthening community participation, accountability, and PHC service delivery through lessons learnt from past experiences on the linkages of WDCs’, he said.
Comrade Muhammad added that KADMAM and KADHAMA believe the development of a responsive and context-specific guideline aligned with national standards will enhance community ownership and support the achievement of Universal Health Coverage in Kaduna State.
The welcome address underscored the importance of the 3-day Co-Creation Workshop on the Review and Domestication of the National Ward Development Committee Guideline in Kaduna State.
Delivering the welcome address on behalf of the Commissioner of Health, Kaduna State, Hajiya Umma K. Ahmed, Dr. Sule Danga acknowledged the critical role WDCs play in promoting community participation in primary health care. He listed their contributions to include support for immunisation, maternal and child health, malaria interventions, accountability mechanisms, and stronger links between communities and health facilities.
He emphasised the need to review and adapt the national guideline to reflect Kaduna State’s realities, strengthen WDC capacities, clarify their responsibilities, and enhance community ownership and service delivery.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Kaduna State Ministry of Health and the State Primary Health Care Board to implementing the workshop’s outcomes and integrating them into health sector plans.
Dr. Sule Danga described the workshop as timely and said it aligns with the health sector achievements of the Kaduna State Government under Governor Uba Sani’s Sustain agenda. He appreciated partners and participants for their commitment and formally declared the workshop open.
The event brought together consultant Professor Clara Ejembi, traditional leaders, development partners including EngenderHealth and LISDEL, facilitators, and stakeholders. Participants shared experiences, set priorities, and worked to produce a practical guideline aimed at improving WDC effectiveness statewide.
