Table 4 Proposed stakeholders and their roles in institutionalizing linkages between the formal health system and informal service providers
Stakeholders | Roles proposed by formal sector respondents | Roles proposed by informal sector respondents |
|---|---|---|
Federal government | - | Soft loans to TMP to produce their products in large quantities for exportation. Send federal agencies to support them with trainings on product preservation and exportation processes |
State government | Build training schools for traditional medicine | Build training schools for traditional medicine. Organize fairs for TMPs to showcase their products. Integrate informal providers’ services Provide ambulance at strategic locations to enhance referral especially in urban slums and rural communities |
Local government | Establish an agency/desk to monitor and supervise informal service providers | |
Ministry of Health and SPHCDA | Establish an agency/division to coordinate trainings, supervision and regulation of informal providers Registration and accreditation of informal providers and enforcement of standards of operation | Registration and accreditation of informal providers and enforcement of standards of operation Advocacy and sensitization on need for linkage between formal health system and informal providers |
SPHCDA | - | Administration and evaluation of capacity building and possible funding |
Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria | Regulation of practice of PMVs, including development and enforcement of standards of operation and other guidelines Standardizing and regulating locally produced drugs and herbs | Regulation of practice of PMVs, including development and enforcement of standards of operation and other guidelines |
Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria | Training on best practices in preventive care for all informal providers | - |
Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria | Training TBAs on best practices including cord care, sterilization of delivery and circumcision instruments, recognition of danger/warning signs, prompt referral Regulation of the practice of TBAs | |
Association of General Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria | - | Support integration efforts |
Health development partners | - | Funding support – to implement proposed interventions Technical support – training of service providers |
NGOs and CSOs | - | Engender community participation. Sensitization and advocacy |
Health officers | - | Engender community participation |
Informal health service providers | Prompt referral of cases to formal health services Adherence to recommended guidelines Mobilization of members to comply with registrations and accreditations | |