In two Nigerian states, Bauchi and Cross River, CIET is helping to establish a new health information and planning system, one based on health outcomes rather than service provision. The system will seek to monitor and improve performance of government health services, from the community and health worker perspectives, and identify bottlenecks in delivery of health services.

This system is part of the Nigeria Evidence-based Health System Initiative (NEHSI),a collaborative project between the Government of Nigeria, the International Development Research Centre, Canada (IDRC) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The project is expected to last six years and conduct three rounds of data collection, communication and action. Based on the results of each data collection cycle, we will help to develop communication strategies directed at civil society, health workers and decision-makers at state level. 

A randomly-selected sample of local government authorities in each state will then seek to demonstrate the positive health and equity consequences of this multi-stakeholder information and planning system.

An important capacity-building component of the project, developing human capital for evidence-based planning, will assist health workers to organise their efforts increasingly in relation to the results they achieve in terms of impact and coverage and help improve local and state government capacity for results-based management of health.

The first evidence-gathering cycle, on the subject of maternal health, began in early 2009.

A follow-on to this first cycle is a pilot programme called “Monitoring to make a difference in maternal health in Bauchi State, Nigeria.” 

The second evidence gathering cycle  began in early 2011, on the subject of childhood illnesses and nutritional status. 

For background and periodic updates on the progress of NEHSI go to:

http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Programs/Global_Health_Policy/Governance_Equity_and_Health/Pages/NEHSI.aspx

This project was preceded in 2006 by demonstration social audits in the same two states.