Dauda Majanbu is trying to solve a complicated problem: delivering family planning supplies to rural health centers in Nigeria. It’s a problem that requires collaboration while also expertly managing resources and expectations. As the lead for the Family Planning Access for Women project at VillageReach, Dauda works with the government and partners to strengthen last mile distribution systems for contraceptive, maternal and neonatal health commodities in two Nigerian states.
By working alongside the Ministry of Health and Clinton Health Access Initiative, his team conducted a variety of assessments to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the existing public health supply chains in Kano and Cross River states.
Dauda worked in tandem with data collectors to make sense of complex health data. As part of this process, he evaluated supply chain logistics, processes, health workforce allocations and operations management. With the opportunity to make data-informed improvements, Dauda and his team can focus on gaining commitment from the government while exploring beneficial relationships within the private sector.
Most importantly, he knows this must be a collaborative effort, “There is a role for everyone to play, not just government doing everything. It’s important to understand what your strength is. Government leads the way on policies, systems, and general oversight, while the private sector brings quality and improvements on service delivery.”
“It’s important to understand what your strength is. Government leads the way on policies, systems and general oversight, while the private sector brings quality and improvements on service delivery.”
Bringing experience to last mile solutions
Dauda brings supply chain experience and a thoughtful approach to program management and stakeholder engagement. He also has a passion for public health.
After obtaining his Master of Public Health, Dauda started to look at last mile solutions. He worked on a project that delivers antiretroviral drugs directly to health care facilities, so health workers didn’t have to leave to acquire essential medicines. He recognises, “there is a lot of potential to impact public health if commodities can get where they need to go.”
This passion for supply chain efficiency is what brought Dauda to VillageReach. He sees the organisation’s core strength to be in its ability to ensure that health care at every level works. He knows that access to medicine is a common challenge and values the data-based approach VillageReach takes to find solutions. It is because of this he says, “I am passionate about this, it something that I have the skill set for, and is easy for me to fit into.”
With the information gathered through the assessment, Dauda will continue to work with the team to create an implementation strategy and proposal for Kano and Cross River States.