By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
The Bauchi State Government, through the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board (BASPHCDB), has encouraged the African Health Budget Network (AHBN) to seek external funding to sustain its Zero Dose Learning Hub Community of Practice (CoP), an evidence-based advocacy initiative focused on reducing the number of zero-dose children in the state.
The call was made during the 2025 Bauchi State Zero Dose Learning Hub Annual Scorecard Validation Meeting held at the Polio Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in Bauchi.
Speaking at the meeting, the Executive Chairman of BASPHCDB, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, acknowledged that sustained advocacy by the AHBN-led CoP has contributed significantly to improved immunisation outcomes in the state.
He noted that advocacy engagements supported by the project helped drive the allocation and release of N872 million by the Bauchi State Government into the Immunisation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Basket Fund, strengthening routine immunisation financing.
Dr Mohammed encouraged AHBN to prepare and submit a proposal to the Gates Foundation for a second phase of the intervention, pledging to lend his personal support by putting in a good word to advance the request. He explained that the immunisation scorecard developed by AHBN has enabled the state to better understand its immunisation coverage and financing status, identify existing gaps, and adopt evidence-based strategies to address them.
According to the BASPHCDB Chairman, the CoP has served as a critical support mechanism by facilitating structured advocacy engagements with key stakeholders, including the Deputy Governor, who chairs the State Primary Health Care Task Force, traditional leaders, and other decision-makers. These engagements, he said, have strengthened political commitment and contributed to increased funding and oversight for primary health care, particularly routine immunisation, even as some zero-dose challenges persist.
Earlier, the Bauchi State Focal Person of AHBN, Dr Hassan Shuaibu, said the Network, in collaboration with the African Epidemiology Network and with support from Gavi, is implementing the Zero Dose Learning Hub project in Bauchi, Borno, Kano, and Sokoto States.
He explained that AHBN’s intervention focuses on advocacy, stakeholder engagement, budget tracking, and accountability to reach missed communities and improve routine immunisation coverage.
Dr Shuaibu commended Bauchi State for its progress in immunisation financing and acknowledged the support of BASPHCDB, adding that similar feedback and advocacy meetings have also been held with the Bauchi State House of Assembly Committees on Health and Appropriations.
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