By Lizzy Carr
The Bauchi State Zero Dose Learning Hub Community of Practice (CoP) visited some Primary Health Care centers to inspect cold chain facilities, it’s utilisation and routine immunization services in compliance with the recommended immunization accountability framework.
The visit led by the Bauchi Local government health authority is part of activities for the fourth quarter review meeting organized by the African Health Budget Network held Friday in Bauchi.
The CoP members visited Yelwa Domiciliary PHC and Lushi Health post were they also reviewed how Primary Health Care services are provided including the Basic Health Care Provision Fund services (BHCPF) where they discovered that the Lushi health post lacks cold chain facility and thus rely on Yelwa Domiciliary for its vaccine storage.
The team’s facility based supervision was to ensure adequate utilization of all budgeted and released funds and to identify possible gaps that can be remedied that may affect Immunization and other PHC services.
African Health Budget Network State Focal person Dr Hassan Shuaibu Musa charged members of the CoP especially Directors of PHC and the LGA teams from the Zero Dose LGAs to be steadfast in engaging their respective LGA Chairmen and other colleagues at the LGA so that immunization related challenges can be identified and resolved early enough.
“The visit to the facilities shows an improvement in immunization coverage especially that of penta 3”.
The fourth quarter review meeting he noted was also an opportunity the the CoP to developed an immunization financing scorecard to review budget allocation and release per quarter and to track Immunization budget implementation in the State in 2025.
The Chairman of the CoP, Director Disease Control and immunization State Primary Health Care Board Dr Adamu Mohammed and the co- chairman Mr Jinjiri Garba expressed optimism that the Immunization Financing scorecard will put all stakeholders on their toes to put more efforts to achieve more sustainable accountability and track real time progress per quarter in 2025 with a view to supporting zero dose LGAs and underserved communities and ultimately Universal Immunization Coverage in the State.
The African Health Budget Network (AHBN) in consortium with African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is implementing the Zero Dose Learning Hub in Bauchi, Sokoto, Borno, and Kano States.
The Zero Dose Learning Hub community of practice is a multi-stakeholder body comprising of Academics, Professional Bodies, Civil Society Organizations, Youth Groups, representatives of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and traditional leaders who come together to review Immunization Financing landscape in Bauchi State.
The Bauchi State CoP had played a prominent role in terms of advocacy to critical stakeholders that led to the allocation of 872 Million Naira to fund Immunization activities in the State.
The CoP had undertook a similar exercise in Ganjuwa LGA in the third Quarter of 2024 which all aligns with AHBN’s efforts in ensuring advocacy for improved Immunization Budget allocation, tracking and accountability to ensure sustainable Immunization Financing in the State.
