By Muhammad Amaan
The Borno State Zero Dose Learning Hub Community of Practice (CoP) on immunization budget tracking, accountability and sustainability has conducted a facility based immunization budget tracking, accountability and sustainability in two PHCs in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council LGA (one low performing and the other high performing in terms of RI coverage and maternal health services).
The exercise, conducted under the leadership of AHBN Zero Dose Learning Hub State Focal Person in person of Dr Adamu Alhassan Umar was aimed to evaluate immunization finances utilization, accountability and sustainability among the two high performing and low performing PHCs, in order to understand strength and gaps and to learn for the improvement of RI services thereby reducing the burden of Zero Dose Children in the state.
The LGA Cold Chain Officer (CCO) who equally doubles as the Ag. LIO at the time, Mallam Baa Kolo Waziri took the team round the two facilities selected.
During the visit, members of the CoP engaged the in-charges and other critical RI staff of the two PHCs, RI coordinators and caregivers regarding vaccines availability, RI records, solar infrastructure, Zero Dose reduction strategies, defaulters tracking mechanism and funding accountability and the effect of the flood disaster to RI activities in the facilities.
The advocacy visit made CoP members to learn that Herwa PHC is one of the high performing PHCs in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.
The facility conducted five routine immunization fixed sessions and three (3) outreach sessions with a target of reaching 50 children daily for pentavalent vaccine.
It was also learnt that the facility was not affected by the recent flood and has a very good solar powered power supply and a very reliable cold chain storage.
There is however a major challenge with staffing as one of the partners supporting MCH activities recently ended their contract with the state and left the facility with no solid sustainable plan in place.
On the other hand, Gamboru PHC, a low performing facility conducts two fixed RI session and two outreach sessions per week but only outreaches are conducted after the flooding in Maiduguri as the facility was worst affected by the flood and as a result of vandalism all the vital infrastructure have been destroyed.
Additionally, the facility has no source of water and all electrical cables and other valuable equipments have been carted away by the vandals.The facility that recorded 60 deliveries in one month prior to the flood has not conducted a single delivery since after the flood.
Members of the CoP commended the government and staff of the facilities for their efforts in addressing the burden of zero dose children in the state.
The team further called on government and other stakeholders to intensity effort to address the challenges brought by the recent flood in the state which disrupted RI services destroyed infrastructures.
