By RismadarVoice Media
January 2, 2026
A coalition under Community of Practice has issued fresh recommendations to improve routine immunization coverage in Bauchi State following a review of the 2025 AFENET-funded African Health Budget Network (AHBN) Zero Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) intervention.
The recommendations were presented on Wednesday during a media engagement and stakeholders’ review session organized to assess the progress and impact of the programme in the state.
Speaking at the event, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AHBN, Dr Aminu Magashi, said the engagement was designed to share implementation experiences, highlight achievements and identify gaps requiring attention.
He explained that inputs from participants would further strengthen the 2025 immunization scorecard, which would be submitted to government authorities, political actors and development partners to guide evidence-based decision-making and programme planning.
“The inputs from participants will further enrich the recommendations already captured in the 2025 scorecard, which will be forwarded to the government, political actors and development partners for informed decision-making and programme planning,” Magashi said.
He described the scorecard as a veritable tool for evidence-based advocacy, aimed at reversing Bauchi State’s zero-dose status.
Also speaking, the Co-Chairman of the Zero Dose Learning Hub, Mohammed Usman, underscored the importance of sustained collaboration in strengthening immunization financing and coverage.
He said recent gains recorded in Bauchi were the result of partnerships involving the ZDLH, the state government, the legislature, academia, the media, civil society organizations and other non-state actors.
Usman urged the media to sustain advocacy efforts beyond the lifespan of the intervention to ensure lasting impact.
On her part, the Executive Director of the Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD), Elizabeth Kah, called for closer collaboration between AHBN and media-focused civil society groups.
She noted that J4PD had played a role in securing policy reforms in key primary healthcare services in the state, pledged continued support for amplifying ZDLH activities.
“We are ready to support evidence-based advocacy through various communication channels for wider reach,” Kah said.
In a presentation, the Bauchi State Focal Person for AHBN, Dr Hassan Shuaibu, outlined key recommendations to improve immunization financing and service delivery.
These include increasing the state’s health budget allocation, ensuring timely budget execution, boosting state contributions to the Immunization Basket Fund, optimizing disbursement of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund to primary healthcare centres, and addressing coverage gaps for Penta 1 and Penta 3 vaccine
