EU-funded Project Unveils Leadership Training For Data, Budgeting Skills In Adamawa Health Sector

The European Union-funded Strengthening Access to Reproductive and Adolescent Health (SARAH) Project said it has launched a three-day leadership workshop in Yola to strengthen data use and budgeting skills among health managers in Adamawa State, adding that the training — part of the ELGMC capacity plan implemented by DGI Consult and UNICEF — will combine competency-based teaching, practical management tools and mentoring to close governance gaps identified in a recent baseline assessment and improve planning, accountability and RMNCAH+N service delivery.

UNICEF and Development Governance International (DGI) Consult said they have begun implementing the capacity strengthening plan under the Enhancing Leadership, Governance and Management Capacities (ELGMC) Project with a three-day workshop in Yola, Adamawa State.

They said the ELGMC Project, run by DGI Consult, is part of the SARAH Project, a four-year initiative funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by UNICEF and UNFPA in Adamawa, Kwara and Sokoto States.

The organisations added that SARAH aims to improve access to quality Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) services.

Health experts involved in the programme said that while large investments have been made in health services, results depend on strong institutions for planning, coordination and oversight.

They said the ELGMC Project was designed to build those institutional capacities and equip health leaders with tools and systems to improve programme implementation and health outcomes.

Organisers said an earlier baseline assessment across key health institutions in the three states identified critical leadership, governance and management gaps affecting RMNCAH+N and GBV programmes.

They said the assessment informed an evidence-based Capacity Strengthening Plan now being rolled out.

They explained the Yola workshop combined competency-based training, practical management tools, systems strengthening and structured mentoring. Participants included senior government officials, programme managers, local government representatives, heads of health institutions and development partners.

UNICEF Health Systems Specialist Dr Emmanuel Emedo said leadership is “one of the strongest determinants of health system performance.” He said: “Technical expertise alone is not enough. As health professionals assume greater leadership responsibilities, they must also develop the competencies required to strengthen institutions, manage resources effectively and improve health outcomes.” He added the initiative is timely as governments are expected to take greater ownership of health programmes amid a changing global financing landscape.

DGI Consult chief executive officer Dr Gafar Alawode said Adamawa has made progress in reproductive, maternal and child health, but persistent gaps in leadership, coordination, financing and management still constrain programme performance. He said the baseline assessment also documented existing strengths that provide a foundation for improvement. “This project is not just about conducting a training. It is about developing competent leaders and managers who can solve critical problems in the health sector, strengthen systems, optimize available resources, and ultimately improve access to quality healthcare,” he said.

Organisers said participants worked on strategic planning, coordination, financial management, human resources for health and use of data for decision-making. They said attendees drafted an RMNCAH+N Vision for Adamawa State and practiced using the RMNCAH+N Results Framework to strengthen planning and accountability.

Speakers said the workshop introduced an RMNCAH+N Leadership Fellowship and Community of Practice to provide ongoing mentoring and technical support. The Permanent Secretary of the Adamawa State Ministry of Health, Pharm. Zirra Mathias Bubanani, thanked UNICEF and partners and urged participants to apply and share the new skills.

Organisers said the next steps include facility-level cascade training in selected Local Government Areas, developing an RMNCAH+N coordination framework, conducting a public expenditure review and financial modelling, creating a performance dashboard, reviewing the Annual Operational Plan for 2027, and operationalising the Leadership Fellowship and Community of Practice.

They said these interventions are expected to strengthen leadership, governance and management systems, improve coordination and accountability, and ultimately enhance RMNCAH+N and GBV outcomes across the state.