Today, we work as MamaYe directors to save mothers and babies’ lives by raising expectations of survival, working to ensure decision-makers have access to good evidence, and mobilising a grass-roots movement to demand more action on this issue. Today, we loudly call on African leaders to make budgets transparent.
We do our job in order to save lives. Originally, most of us became medical doctors or entered into health development in order to do just that. Today, we work as MamaYe Directors to save mothers and babies’ lives by raising expectations of survival, working to ensure decision-makers have access to good evidence, and mobilising a grass-roots movement to demand more action on this issue.We know which interventions are critical for maternal and newborn survival, and we are tracking government commitments towards these in order to deter empty promises. Together, we are a strong African voice speaking up for maternal and newborn survival.And yet too often, the money that makes it all happen escapes our scrutiny. In some countries, we know the government has committed to upgrading a certain number of clinics to provide basic emergency obstetric care, but we haven’t checked whether the annual budget has factored this in.In Nigeria, MSS midwives should be paid by all three tiers of government, but who is verifying that is the case?There are good reasons for this. Analysis of public financial flows is not our area of expertise, budgets are not accessible or sufficiently disaggregated, expenditure information is released years later. This needs to change.Budgets and expenditure are the lifeblood of governments’ actions and are essential for us to understand in order to keep our leaders accountable.Recently, at the Partners' Forum conference in Johannesburg, our colleague and friend Dr Aminu Magashi Garba launched the first Africa Health Budget Network.We believe that this network can catalyse our common voice on health budgets both in our own countries and across the Continent. Through this network, maternal and newborn health advocates can partner with experienced budget advocacy groups. Through this network, we can loudly call on African leaders to make budgets transparent. Through this network, we hope to learn from each other on how to best keep governments accountable for what they promise.Will you join us?Signed by:
- Dr Richard Adanu: Country Director, Ghana
- Charles Makwenda: Country Director, Malawi
- Dr Babatunde Segun: Country Director, Nigeria
- Dr Mohamed Yilla: Country Director, Sierra Leone
- Craig Ferla: Country Director, Tanzania