Sokoto State Steps Into Future Of Healthcare With HEFRIAS Training
By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
The availability of regular, locally generated and facility owned data for informed decision making around resource allocation, advocacy and accountability has been a mirage for states in Nigeria.
In a giant stride towards strengthening digitalization of facility level assessment around health systems/quality of care, and improving availability of data for decision-making, the Sokoto State Ministry of Health, Hospital Service Management Board (HSMB), and State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SPHCDA), with support from the USAID-funded MOMENTUM Safe Surgery Project implemented by EngenderHealth, had conducted a comprehensive training on the Healthcare Facility Registration, Inspection, and Accreditation System (HEFRIAS).
In an opening remarks preceding the two-day training, Dr. Bello A, the Executive Director of Sokoto State HSMB, urged participants to attentively absorb the training content for dissemination and implementation across all healthcare facilities in the state.
The ED further informed the participants that the workshop aimed to provide them with a comprehensive understanding of data management processes in line with global best practices.
He emphasized that the state places a high premium on its healthcare systems and also reiterated that such training aligns with the state government’s vision of achieving universal healthcare coverage for all citizens.
In his welcome address, Umar Abdulrazaq, Sokoto State’s Senior Clinical Associate from EngenderHealth, highlighted the meticulous planning, design and pilot testing of HEFRIAS in health facilities to ensure its efficacy.
He emphasized HEFRIAS’s role in streamlining data management, enhancing regulatory compliance, and facilitating evidence-based decision-making in healthcare.
“The platform will serve as a one stop shop for all health facility assessment and QoC assessment tools that will be regularly updated by all health facilities and validated by the State Ministry of Health” said Abdulrazak.
Umar further stressed that the training would empower participants to navigate the HEFRIAS dashboard effectively, with state facilitators carefully selected and empowered to act as mentors in the state to maximize the initiative’s potential.
Speaking on behalf of the participants at the end of the training, the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics (DPRS) at the State Ministry of Health, Bashiru Bello extended his gratitude to USAID MOMEMTUM Safe Surgery Project for graciously honoring the ministry’s request for support in facilitating the HEFRIAS development and roll out process.
He emphasized that the State is now on the path to have regular facility level data around the PHC health systems that include not only the gaps but also provides a cost estimate to address the gaps.
The DPRS also mentioned that the QoC tools on the platform will allow the state to have ready access to the facilities with low quality of service and can make decisions to support them.
He then called on partners in the state to engage the state to utilize the system for any health assessments in the state.
He also expressed his confidence that participants are leaving with newfound proficiency and readiness to contribute to the project’s transformative impact on healthcare delivery in Sokoto State.
The training workshop, conducted by USAID Momentum Safe Surgery, took place at the Epidemiology unit of the Emergency Operations Center of Sokoto State between 22nd and 23rd April 2024.
The methodology adopted for the conduct of the training were through presentations, questions and answers and hands-on sessions.
Our correspondent reports that Healthcare Facility Registration, Inspection, and Accreditation System (HEFRIAS) is being implemented in Sokoto State to revolutionize healthcare data management. Through digitizing registration, inspection, and accreditation processes, HEFRIAS promotes efficiency, standardization, and accessibility of critical healthcare information.