NHED Rallies Media Support to Strengthen Health Security Financing Accountability in Kano
By Salisu Hamisu Ali
The Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED) has called on the media to play a more active role in ensuring accountability in health security financing in Kano State.
This call came during a media briefing held in Kano, where NHED emphasized that progress in public health policy must be matched by transparent and sustained implementation.
The event highlighted recent achievements in the state, including the passage of the Public Health Security Bill and the government’s adoption of the Health Security Financing Accountability Framework (HSFAF)—both considered foundational steps in strengthening epidemic preparedness.
However, NHED cautioned that these policy advances risk remaining symbolic without the necessary financial data and public scrutiny to make them effective.
Dr. Mafeni, NHED’s Senior Technical Advisor, stressed that the HSFAF is still not populated with critical financial information, undermining its purpose.
“Without data, the framework is an empty shell,” Dr. Mafeni said. “The systems we build now—including systems of accountability—will determine how we respond to future health threats. The media is not a bystander in this process. You are essential partners in building public trust and strengthening preparedness.”
The NHED revealed that a government task force has now been reconstituted to begin populating the HSFAF, a development welcomed by stakeholders.
The organization pledged continued technical support and engagement to ensure that the process leads to meaningful change.
Journalists were urged to take a proactive stance: to go beyond event-based coverage and instead track budgets, funding disbursements, and on-the-ground impact of health security investments.
NHED encouraged reporters to pursue data-driven, human-centered stories that make health security financing relevant to everyday Nigerians.
“Accountability thrives when scrutiny is consistent,” Dr. Mafeni noted. “You shape narratives and bring the public into rooms where decisions are made.”
The event closed with a call for collective action to keep health security at the forefront of public discourse—not just in times of crisis, but as a sustained commitment to protecting lives and building resilient systems in Kano State.
