Stakeholder Perception of the Impacts of Communication for Development in NGO-Supported Organizational Capacity Building: A Case of Yobe State Primary Health Care Management Board

Abstract

Utilization of communication for development (C4D) in organizational capacity-building support provided by foreign aid-assisted developmental programs run by non-governmental organization (NGOs) has been shown to improve primary health care (PHC) services in both urban and rural communities, especially the latter. This study investigated stakeholder perceived benefits of organizational capacity-building support provided by NGOs toward the improvement of PHC services in Yobe State. Adopting a case study approach with key informant interview (KII), the responses of four key management staff of Yobe State Primary Health Care Management Board (YSPHCMB) were captured and analyzed using the organizational capacity assessment tool model and critical discourse analysis. The key findings revealed that two critical C4D techniques namely, advocacy and behavior-change communication have impacted significantly toward the strengthening of both YSPHCMB and improvement of PHC services in rural areas of the state more than it did in urban centers; organizational capacity-building support provided by NGOs have significantly strengthened the capacity of YSPHCMB effectively more than both the State and Federal Governments (the primary funders of PHC services) did; and perceived sustainability crisis (PSC) in the event of the expiration of the tenure of some NGOs and developmental programs has been identified as a critical challenge that may affect the tremendous successes achieved by the programs/NGOs negatively should they close as anticipated. To avert the occurrence of PSC in the aftermaths of the closure of an NGO, both the State and Federal Governments should ensure enough and timely release of PHC counterpart funding.