Writing By Khadijah Aliyu ; Editing By Godwin Duru
Kano State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting initiatives under the Zero Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) Community of Practice (CoP), aimed at reducing the number of zero-dose children across the state.
The State Commissioner of Public Procurement, Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Comrade Nura Iro Ma’aji, stated this while receiving members of the Kano CoP ZDLH project in his office.
Comrade Nura explained that the ministry will continue to collaborate with the State Ministry of Health to ensure effective healthcare delivery, saying that several Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state are currently undergoing upgrades.
He emphasized that efficient procurement processes require active input from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), stressing the importance of engaging relevant stakeholders to achieve meaningful development outcomes.
According to him, the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf prioritizes a citizen-centred budget, which necessitates stronger advocacy from CSOs to promote projects that directly impact citizens’ welfare.
He assured the coalition that the Ministry would continue to monitor infrastructure projects to ensure compliance with quality standards and value for money.
“This visit is timely and apt. I assure you that top-level engagement at the state level will be cascaded down to the grassroots, where local government chairmen will be fully involved to achieve the desired results,”.
Earlier in his remarks, the Kano State Focal Person Kano CoP ZDLH Dr. Musa Muhammad Bello, highlighted the CoP’s activities, which include advocacy for increased immunisation funding, awareness creation, and Decentralised Immunisation Monitoring (DIM) in Kumbotso and Sumaila Local Government Areas.
Dr. Bello stressed the need for the timely release of Routine Immunisation (RI) budgets and counterpart funding to effectively address the challenge of zero-dose children in the state.
As part of the visit, the team presented copies of the 2024 Kano State Immunisation Budget Accountability Annual Scorecard developed by AHBN and the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) to the commissioner.
The scorecard outlines key achievements, existing gaps, and actionable recommendations, serving as an accountability tool for policymakers, stakeholders, and civil society groups to track progress and strengthen advocacy around routine immunisation.
The meeting highlighted the shared commitment of the Kano State Government and the ZDLH project to improving immunisation coverage and ensuring that no child is left behind.
The Zero Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) initiative, implemented by AHBN and AFENET with funding support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is currently operational in Kano, Bauchi, Borno, and Sokoto States to boost vaccine uptake and reduce the number of unimmunized children.
COV/Khadijah Aliyu
