The Bauchi State Government has pledged to collaborate with the Community of Practice (CoP) Zero Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH)to facilitate access to immunisation and bridge existing healthcare gaps.
Head of the Gender Unit at the State Ministry of Health, Hajiya Zuwairah Baba, made the commitment in Bauchi during an advocacy visit by the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) and its partners.
AHBN Recommends Swift Funding to Curb Zero Dose in Kano
The visit was led by Bauchi State AHBN Focal Person, Dr Hassan Musa and members of the Community of Practice (CoP) Zero Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH).
Zuwairah assured the delegation that the Ministry’s Gender Unit would collaborate with the group to improve access to immunisation through gender inclusion, community dialogue, and broader stakeholder engagement in zero-dose communities.
She pointed out that relevant state agencies would share findings from the Decentralised Immunisation Monitoring (DIM) report with their principals to evaluate the effectiveness of immunisation service delivery at the grassroots level.
Zero Dose Learning Hub Conducts Facility-Based Immunization Review
The head of the gender unit noted that results from the 2024 Immunisation Financing Scorecard would be presented to key decision-makers for appropriate action.
“I reaffirm our readiness to support and partner with the CoP and AHBN,” Baba stated.
Earlier, in his remarks, the AHBN Bauchi focal person Dr Musa highlighted critical gaps in the state’s immunisation performance, as revealed by the DIM report and the Scorecard.
He explained that, the advocacy visit aimed to strengthen collaboration with gender-focused institutions to bridge immunisation gaps and promote equity.
The focal person emphasised the strategic role of the gender units within the Ministry of Health and the State Primary Health Care Development Board in ensuring inclusive access to life-saving vaccines, particularly for underserved populations.
According to him, effective gender integration in health planning and implementation is essential to achieving equitable immunisation coverage.
Dr Musa urged stakeholders to adopt gender-responsive strategies that guaranteed immunisation access for every child.
The African Health Budget Network (AHBN), in partnership with the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) with funding from GAVI, launched the strategic initiative aimed at tackling the challenge of zero-dose immunisation among children.