Bauchi Invests N323m in Immunisation Drive to Eradicate Zero-Dose Cases
By Ahmed Ahmad
The Bauchi State Government has paid N323 million in Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) immunity counterpart funding to partners to boost coverage and eliminate zero-dose cases in the state.
Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board (BSPHCDB), stated this during an advocacy meeting with the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) on Friday in Bauchi.
He reiterated the commitment of the current administration under Governor Bala Mohammed to the development of health services in the state.
“Already, the governor has declared a state of emergency on health and committed to the sustenance of a 15% allocation to health based on the Abuja declaration,” he said.
Earlier, Dr. Aminu Magashi, Chief Executive and Coordinator of the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), in consortium with the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) team lead, said the state provides support to Bauchi State.
“By utilising the IRMMA (Identify, Reach, Monitor, Measure, and Advocate) methodology to identify children who have received zero doses or insufficient vaccinations, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) has created a learning hub to address concerns related to immunisation equality for effective advocacy.
“AHBN has established a Community of Practice (CoP) as a sub-component of the learning hub, focused on budget tracking, accountability, and sustainability.
“The intent is to learn what difference this pool of people can make in the immunisation financing landscape on a larger scale in the immunisation coverage in the states,” Dr. Magashi said.
He reiterated his commitment to organising capacity-building training for members of the Zero-Dose Learning Hub Community in the state.
“To support the development of a 3-6-month action plan for the Community of Practice on Immunisation Budget Tracking, Accountability, and Sustainability targeting zero-dose children and missed communities for participants.
“To also support the CoP members in developing advocacy messages aimed at targeting key stakeholders for immunisation financing and budgets aimed at reaching zero-dose children and missed communities,” he said.
