By Muhammad Amaan
The Bauchi State Consultant and Focal Person for the African Health Budget Network (AHBN), Dr Hassan Shuaibu Musa has paid a high-level advocacy visit to Deputy Governor Auwal Mohammad Jatau at his residence in Bauchi.
Dr Musa who represented Dr Aminu Magashi Garba, the Coordinator/CEO of AHBN, said the visit centered on presenting AHBN’s developed 2025 Annual Immunization Financing Scorecard for Bauchi State, a critical tool for tracking and enhancing immunization funding and primary health care (PHC) outcomes.
He also shared key Zero Dose Learning Hub publications, including the 2024 and 2025 Immunization Financing Scorecards.
These resources equip policymakers with data-driven insights to strengthen immunization efforts, reduce zero-dose children, and improve overall PHC performance in the state.
The presentations were made on behalf of Dr Magashi, AHBN’s Coordinator/CEO, who reaffirmed his commitment to a personal visit upon arriving in Bauchi.
Their longstanding relationship, coupled with the Deputy Governor’s consistent support for immunization funding, underscores the collaborative spirit driving these initiatives.
In his response, the Deputy Governor who is also the Chairman Bauchi State Task Force on Primary Health Care (PHC) warmly welcomed Dr Musa and expressed profound gratitude to AHBN for its steadfast partnership with Bauchi State.
He pledged unwavering support, including ensuring prompt payment of counterpart funding, prioritizing immunization allocations in the state budget, and facilitating timely fund releases.
“AHBN’s work is invaluable to our health agenda,” he remarked, emphasizing the network’s role in advancing Immunization Financing, Budget Accountability, and sustainability in addition to their drive to attain universal health coverage and maternal-child health priorities.
Dr Hassan Musa commended the state’s exemplary performance, particularly the timely release of 100 per cent of its 2025 immunization funds in March/April – a benchmark achievement hailed as a model for other Nigerian states.
This milestone, he noted, has bolstered vaccination drives and PHC service delivery, serving as a reference point for health systems strengthening nationwide.
The Deputy Governor further reaffirmed his enduring commitment to AHBN, assuring the organization of his favorable disposition to future engagements.
This advocacy visit highlights AHBN’s proactive role in health budget accountability and policy influence, fostering sustainable financing for immunization and PHC in Bauchi and beyond.
As Nigeria pushes toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goals, such partnerships remain pivotal.
