By Aminu Dalhatu
The Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development, in partnership with the Zamfara State Government, has engaged 60 Routine Immunisation (RI) service providers from Bakura and Talata Mafara Local Government Areas in a one-day onboarding meeting to strengthen the implementation of the Z-TRACE project in the State.
The project, funded by Gavi, is aimed at improving routine immunisation coverage by identifying and reaching zero-dose and under-immunised children, particularly those who have not received any routine vaccine or have missed some scheduled doses.
The onboarding meeting was organised to familiarise the service providers with the objectives of the project and strengthen their capacity to support immunisation activities, identify eligible children and ensure that more children receive life-saving vaccines.
Speaking at the event, the Head of Programmes of the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development in Zamfara State, Jamilu Sarkin Gulbi, who welcomed the participants, emphasised the important role of routine immunisation service providers in addressing the challenges of zero-dose and under-immunised children.
He said the success of the Z-TRACE project depended largely on the commitment and active participation of frontline health workers, who are responsible for delivering immunisation services and reaching children in their respective communities.
Sarkin Gulbi urged the participants to take the onboarding exercise seriously and apply the knowledge gained to improve service delivery, strengthen community engagement and ensure that eligible children are not left behind in routine immunisation programmes.
He also stressed the need for effective collaboration between health workers, community leaders and other relevant stakeholders to identify children who had missed their vaccinations and encourage parents and caregivers to utilise available immunisation services.
Similarly, the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Lead of the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development (SFPD), Abdulrahman Liman, said it was imperative to bring Routine Immunisation (RI) service providers together to equip them with the necessary knowledge and guidance to achieve the project’s objectives, particularly in reaching zero-dose children.
During the meeting, participants asked relevant questions and sought clarification on issues they did not fully understand to ensure a better understanding of the project’s implementation and expectations.
The Z-TRACE project is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen routine immunisation and reduce the number of zero-dose and under-immunised children in Zamfara State through improved service delivery and community-level interventions.
The initiative is expected to support efforts to increase vaccination coverage, prevent vaccine-preventable diseases and improve child health outcomes across the state.
Editing By Yusuf Zubairu
