Stakeholders implementing the New Incentives – All Babies Are Equal (NI-ABAE) programme say states will soon develop a plan on how to reduce stock-out of vaccines.
This was part of the resolutions in a communique issued after the 5th bi-annual joint stakeholder meeting on conditional cash transfer for routine immunisation.
The meeting was coordinated by the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDAs), and co-hosted by the SPHCDAs of Bauchi, Jigawa, Adamawa and Taraba. It was done with the support of NI-ABAE to discuss strategies on reduction of child mortality through cost-effective and evidence-based health interventions.
The All Babies programme encourages each round of vaccines included in Nigeria’s routine immunisation schedule. Small cash incentives are disbursed to beneficiaries during each of the six routine immunisation visits, conditional on infants receiving BCG (newborn), PENTA, and PCV (6, 10, and 14 weeks); and MCV vaccines (9 and 15 months).
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The communique was signed by the Permanent Secretary, Gombe State Ministry of Health, Dr Danladi Adamu, representative to the Permanent Secretary, Jigawa State Ministry of Health, Hassan Kwalam, the Executive Secretary, Taraba State State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Tukura Nuhu Nyigwa and the Executive Secretary, Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency represented by Dr Muhammad Jibreel, among others.
It read in part, “To address concerns with periodic vaccines stock-out, commissioners for health and executive secretaries of programme states will meet and discuss state-level vaccine logistics systems to improve immunisation coverage and reduce stock-out and wastages.”
The communique said the All Babies programme would continue to align its implementation with the federal and state laws, and policies including routine immunisation plans and priorities.
It said the next steps include, among others, for states to identify ways to improve the relationship between NI-ABAE and National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to increase programme visibility at the national level, and to also share lists of zero-dose settlements with NI-ABAE for joint coordination of awareness efforts.
The communique added that in 2023, NI-ABAE plans to work with state partners to expand the All Babies programme to a total of 11 states in northern Nigeria and enroll 1.5 million infants throughout the year.
