By Muhammad Amaan
The Sokoto State Zero Dose Learning Hub Community of Practice (CoP) on immunization budget tracking, accountability and sustainability has conducted a facility-based immunization budget tracking at two Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in Wammako LGA of the state.
The facilities visited for the exercise are; Arkilla PHC (high performing) and Gumbi PHC (low performing).
The exercise, led by the CoP Co-Chair and AHBN State Focal Person, Mallam Umar Kadi is aimed at evaluating immunization finances utilization at facility level with a view to understand strength and gaps.
The exercise also aimed to learn for the improvement of Routine Immnization (RI) services thereby reducing the burden of Zero Dose Children in the state.
The team was received and took round the facilities by the in-charges to assess the infrastructures, vaccines, RI services and interact with the RI coordinators and caregivers.
At Gumbi PHC, the gaps identified are that the Solar Direct Drive (SDD) monitoring chart is not updated and with no maintenance plan.
It was also observed that community involvement in RI planning and implementation is inefficient and there’s no dedicated budget line for RI in the Bsic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
While at Arkilla PHC, there is a discrepancy between the data in RI register and the tally sheet and there’s also no evidence of monthly VDC meetings for funds utilization and discussions on immnunization.
Poor data harmonization between conventional FS, OS and other interventions was noticed so also sub optimal integration of RI with other services and there’s no dedicated budget line for RI in the BHCPF.
The CoP recommended for the Gumbi PHC leadership to update the SDD temperature monitoring chart, develop maintenance plan for SDD and other cold chain equipments, improve RI and other PHC service integration, enhance community involvement and participation in RI activities and create a budget line for RI in the BHCPF and IMPACT.
For Arkilla PHC, the team recommended for the provision of on-the-job training to RI team on proper documentation and data harmonization, conduction of monthly VDC meetings for planning and implementation of RI activities, improvement of data harmonization between conventional FS, OS and other interventions among others.
The CoP, after the facility visits, paid an advocacy visit to the district head of Gumbi and sought for the religious leaders support towards immunization awareness creation to ensure all eligible children are immunized and missed communities are reached.
