Ihatsham Akram, Senior Policy & Advocacy Advisor
“We are servants of the public and answerable to them” were the words of the Officer who heads the Department of Health in Swabi. He was addressing the District Advocacy Forum (DAF) facilitated by EVA in Swabi District. It was no less than a dream coming true that for the first time in Pakistan that health officials are coming to citizen forums for braving the questions and issues being raised by citizens. Given the participation and discussion of DAF in Swabi and in other districts it appears that such structures are direly needed and fill a vacuum that had long existed with respect to engagement of citizens and duty bearers.
Except the courts of the land and lately to some extent media that also mostly keep itself distanced from the health issues for it being a soft beat, the citizens do not have many opportunities to talk about their health issues and demands. The EVA DAFs are not only opportunities but are a motivation as well for citizens and interestingly for both users and duty bearers. The issues log of the DAFs reflect that many of the issues are being raised by the duty bearers at these forums as well with an anticipation that citizens will put their weight behind and help duty bearers overcome the barriers especially the systemic hiccups of red tapeism.
Whereas, DAFs are becoming the epicenter of the change with respect to raising of voices and demands, it will be critical that DAFs could also contribute to the culture of responsiveness that extends beyond listening of demands to concrete actions of duty bearers. The development of the District Health Development Plans in response to DAF demands in Nowshera district, opening up of a hospital in Layyah that had been dysfunctional for a long time after it being set up, recovery of a misplaced generator in District Headquarter Hospital Layyah are some of the examples that augur the potential of DAFs to create a culture of responsiveness that is underpinned by accountability by citizens.
EVA-BHN 