By Bulak Afsa As part of ongoing advocacy efforts to engage key stakeholders on immunization, the Zero Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH...
By Bulak Afsa
As part of ongoing advocacy efforts to engage key stakeholders on immunization, the Zero Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) Advocacy Team, led by Dr. Aminu Magashi, Coordinator of the African Health Budget Network (AHBN), paid a courtesy visit to Hon. Aliyu Aminu Garu, Federal Representative for Bauchi Constituency, at the National Assembly office in Abuja on Tuesday, 27th February 2025.
The team was accompanied by Hon. Muhammad Usman, Immunization Advisor, to discuss pressing immunization challenges in Bauchi Local Government Area (LGA), which remains one of the Zero-Dose LGAs—areas with children who have never received a single dose of routine vaccines.
The discussions focused on scaling up immunization efforts and bridging gaps in vaccine access to ensure that no child is left behind.
The ZDLH Advocacy Team highlighted key insights from the Bauchi ZDLH landscape, emphasizing the need for greater civil society engagement in immunization policymaking, increased budgetary allocations and timely fund disbursement and nhanced accountability mechanisms to improve immunization coverage.
The team also stressed the importance of collaboration between policymakers, civil society organizations (CSOs), and local health systems to enhance implementation and outcomes.
Hon. Aliyu Aminu Garu welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed his long-standing commitment to immunization. He recalled that during his tenure as Chairman of Bauchi Local Government, he prioritized the construction of Primary Health Care (PHC) centers across the LGA to improve healthcare access.
In a significant commitment to child health, he gladly accepted the role of a Champion for Children’s Immunization in Bauchi. He further pledged to join the Bauchi ZDLH Community of Practice (CoP) for joint PHC visits, advocate for increased funding for immunization programs and llocate additional funds in his next constituency budget to support PHCs and immunization initiatives.
This commitment marks a critical step toward achieving universal immunization coverage in Bauchi LGA, ensuring that every child receives life-saving vaccines.
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