Immunisation: Group commends Nigeria’s commitment to addressing zero-dose children

The African Field Epidemiology Network has commended Nigeria for adopting a proactive approach to addressing zero-dose children through enhanced immunisation advocacy and stakeholder engagement.

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The Regional Technical Coordinator, AFENET, Dr. Patrick Nguku, said this on Thursday in Abuja on the sideline of a courtesy visit to the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services Dennis Idahosa, by Civil Society Organisations and health reporters.

Zero-dose children refer to those who are yet to receive any routine vaccination.

Accordong to reports, the visit was to discuss health security matters, and various government commitments to the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents. It was also to strategise on strengthening the nation’s healthcare system and explore collaborative ways.

Nguku said that the Federal Government recognised the critical importance of vaccinations in preventing the spread of infectious diseases and was determined to bridge any immunisation gap and ensure that every child would receive the necessary vaccines for a healthy start in life.

“With a comprehensive strategy encompassing targetted awareness campaigns and collaboration with key stakeholders, Nigeria is embarking on a mission to protect its youngest population and strengthen the overall healthcare system,” he said.

He said that the Zero Dose Learning Hub, a project implemented with the Africa Health Budget Network in Bauchi, Borno, Kano and Sokoto states would reduce the number of zero-dose children in the country. He said that the zero-dose children and missed communities were significant challenges in achieving universal immunisation coverage.

“These children have not received their first dose of Penta 1, and are at higher risk of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (VPDs),” he added.

The Coordinator of Africa Health Budget Network, Dr. Aminu Magashi, urged legislators to strengthen their oversight function.

“Every year, the Nigerian Government allocates big money called the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) of N40 billion, but unfortunately, only about 10 per cent of the allocated fund is released.The oversight function by the National Assembly should ensure that a good percentage of money allocated should be released and in real-time,” he said.

The coordinator also said that transparency, accountability and proactive monitoring would ensure the efficient operation of the healthcare system.

PUNCH/Wumi