Local NGO gets thumbs up from Danish embassy

It comes after a visit by the embassy’s delegation to Sikika where they learnt about SAM success in 10 districts in the past five years whereas various local government authorities (LGAs) and councilors were able to take action thus improving public health service delivery.

“It is very good to get the feeling of how you work,” said Ambassador Einar Hebogård Jensen, adding that he would like to go to the field, if invited.

Sikika’s Executive Director, Irenei Kiria explained that SAM has proved to be very useful because they have been positive feedback.

“There are cases whereby at the regional level they want us to use it in other sectors such as education while at the national level they want us to conduct it in all districts but the challenge is we do not have enough funds to do that,” he said.

In order to conduct SAM exercise, Sikika normally introduces the approach to local authorities, councilors, civil society organisations (CSOs) and communities to explain the importance of SAM and why it is important.

Members from a particular community then are selected and trained on how to analyze reports by the Controller and Auditor General (CAG)’s, Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Comprehensive Council Health Plan (CCHP).

The analysis is followed by field visit at health facilities in the said districts to verify value for money. Ten districts where Sikika facilitated social accountability monitoring are Kondoa, Mpwapwa, Iramba, Singida Rural and Kiteto. Others are Simanjiro, Ilala, Temeke, Kinondoni and Kibaha.

“It becomes very sensitive in a sense that some district authorities want to sabotage the exercise. If they do not agree with the findings internally, then we take it to the media. Once it goes public it is the citizens who confront the authority and demand explanation,” he said.

SAM is a demand side advocacy work and human rights based approach to promote accountability and empower citizen and the government to work together in order to enhance quality of public services and ensure that public funds are spent effectively.

Sikika is a non-governmental organisation registered in 2009, it advocates for the provision and accessibility of quality health services for all through two key operational programmes: health governance programme and public finance governance programme.