Submission ID 131916
| Issue/Objective | Situated within global efforts to strengthen subnational health systems and advance World Health Organization health systems building blocks toward Sustainable Development Goal 3, Kaduna State's health sector relies on the Annual Operational Plan (AOP) to translate strategic priorities into coordinated action across eight Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). However, largely manual processes for memo development, approval, and monitoring create inefficiencies, delays, limited visibility, and fragmented performance tracking, undermining coordination, accountability, and optimal resource use. Primary objective: To design and implement a digital AOP automation system to improve workflow efficiency and governance across Kaduna State's health sector. Secondary objectives: To achieve measurable gains, including reduced approval turnaround time, increased proportion of memos processed digitally, expanded MDA onboarding, and enhanced availability of real-time data for decision-making. |
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| Methodology/Approach | A systems redesign approach was employed, incorporating process mapping, bottleneck analysis, user authorization modeling, and digital workflow engineering. The intervention digitized core AOP processes, including memo initiation, multi-level approvals, activity scheduling, and document management within an integrated digital platform. The design was iteratively refined through stakeholder engagement to address priority state needs, particularly strengthening implementation tracking. This informed the integration of a real-time, interactive dashboard to support monitoring of key performance and process indicators and to enhance the functionality of the Technical Working Group (TWG). |
| Results | While full-scale implementation is ongoing, pilot deployment and stakeholder validation demonstrated strong system acceptability through a structured acceptability survey and alignment with operational priorities. The automation system has streamlined workflow processes by digitizing approvals and reducing reliance on manual document handling. The platform enables real-time visibility of planning and implementation processes, improving transparency and coordination across MDAs. A centralized digital repository has enhanced access to AOP documents and strengthened institutional memory. Additionally, embedded audit trails and unique request identifiers have improved accountability and compliance monitoring. The introduction of a real-time dashboard has enhanced tracking of AOP activities, key performance indicators (KPIs), and implementation milestones, enabling more responsive and data-informed decision-making. Early feedback indicates improved monitoring efficiency and strengthens coordination of TWG activities. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | The AOP automation system demonstrates significant potential to improve planning efficiency, transparency, and accountability within Kaduna State's health system. Its user-centered and context-responsive design supports adoption and sustainability, while its integration of digital workflows and real-time monitoring strengthens evidence-based decision-making. This approach offers a promising, scalable model for digital transformation of health system planning and performance management in resource-constrained settings, contributing to broader efforts to strengthen subnational health governance and operational effectiveness. |
| Presenters and Affiliations | Julie Wieland, MPH. Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Hajara Nakkudu Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Abolade Oyelere Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Osighemeh Sedi-Inwutube Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Raymond Akan Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Samuel Atanda Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Dorcas Asuku Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Ruth Musa Sunama Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Ibrahim Ibrahim Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF) Dr Sunday Joseph Kaduna State Ministry of Health (DPHRS) |
