By Joseph Edegbo
States implementing the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) for Routine Immunization (RI) programme of the New Incentives – All Babies Are Equal Initiative (NI-ABAE), say they will continue to align with the Nigerian laws and policies, including routine immunization plans and priorities.
The CCT for RI is a project of NI-ABAE, an International NGO, where a total of N4,500 is given overtime to compensate parents’ and caregivers’ transportation and loss of income, so they can take their children for routine immunisation against childhood killer diseases.
The caregiver receives ₦500 for the first four routine immunization visits and ₦2,000 for the fifth visit. Another ₦500 is given to the caregiver for her final visit when the child gets measles 2 vaccination.
To this end, the implementing states, namely Bauchi, Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara have committed to providing enabling environment that will ensure expansion of the CCT programme to more health facilities in their respective states.
These were part of the resolutions adopted at the bi-annual joint stakeholders meeting held weekend in Kano, with 39 participants in attendance, among them, Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Mohammed Ali Inname and Katsina State Commissioner for Health, Engr. Yakubu Nuhu Danja.
In the Communique, Bauchi, Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara States’ health authorities agreed to greater ownership of the conditional cash transfers for routine immunization program, admitting that the program is in line with their routine immunization and public health plans and priorities.
According to the resolution, NI-ABAE, through the implementing states, will continue to support demand creation and other components of routine immunization in the five States and at the national level.
It will in addition, continue to provide transparent and regular updates to all stakeholders and Provide support on routine immunization, health, and social protection.
The State Ministry for Health, through the office of the Commissioners of Health, will continue to provide the needed support to the programs at all levels, facilitate meetings between the Governors of their States and NI-ABAE representatives.
The Ministry will also encourage the Governors of their States to present the programme gains and successes at every forum, including the national health stakeholders to support the program.
Other resolutions are that, the State Primary Health Care Development Agencies commit to supporting the CCT for RI program at all levels, provide the needed support to ensure the expansion of the program to over 60 LGAs in Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto and Bauchi States (to exceed this target), ensure adequate vaccine supply and health worker discipline in all health facilities, engage all relevant state actors to ensure successful conditional cash transfers programming, ensure accountability among health workers, and reinforce accurate reporting of vaccine utilization.
“In addition, the State Primary Health Care Development Agencies agreed to make their cold chain facility accessible and request for improved vaccine efficacy with relevant stakeholders.
Commissioners for Health and Executive Secretaries of program states to meet and discuss on state level vaccine logistics system to improve immunization coverage and reduce stock out & and wastages.
“The Programme should allow data to speak for its impact, as this will facilitate stakeholders’ ownership.
Commissioners for Health of the respective programme states will take the responsibility of leading engagement with NPHCDA in support of programme sustainability.
“The implementing states agree to develop a sustainability framework for the CCT for RI program.
Other RI implementing partners should be invited to subsequent meetings to allow for program synergy.
“The Program will work with relevant stakeholders to ensures data speaks for its impact at all levels.
“Relevant stakeholders in Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara States to provide necessary support to expand the conditional cash transfers for routine immunization programs to more LGAs, health facilities, and infants and commit to its ownership.
“The Program will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to implement all agreement reached towards improved immunization coverage across all implementing states.
The supporting organization will work with the Commissioners for Health of the respective program states towards meaningful engagement with NPHCDA and other stakeholders in support of program “sustainability.
Advocate to Governors of the benefiting state to arrange meetings among themselves to share success stories as well as challenges as it relates to immunization coverage.
To address concerns with periodic vaccines stockout, Commissioners for Health and Executive Secretaries of programme states, the communique said, will meet and discuss on state level vaccine logistics system to improve immunization coverage and reduce stock out and wastages.
Next Joint State Stakeholders meeting is scheduled to hold in September 2022, and to be coordinated by Sokoto SPHCDA.
Here Under Is the Full Details; –
ABOUT MEETING
A meeting of stakeholders of the Conditional Cash Transfer for Routine Immunization Program supported by NI-ABAE in Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara and Sokoto States was held on 19th March, 2022 at the Tahir Guest Palace, Kano State. A total of 39 participants were in attendance, including:
Commissioners of Health from Sokoto and Katsina States, HC Women Affairs Katsina State (represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry).
Executive Secretaries of SPHCDAs Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa and Bauchi state Executive Chairman of the SPHCDA.
Directors of Health Planning, Research and Statistics of the SMOHs Jigawa and the research desk officer of Bauchi SMoH.
Primary Health Care Directors of SPHCDAs.
Logistics Head and Logistics Officer of NPHCDA North West Zonal Office.
Program Managers of SERICCs in Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Gombe, Bauchi and Zamfara States.
Media organizations, NI-ABAE Government Relations Advisors, and staff from NI-ABAE.
The meeting was Chaired by the Commissioner of Health, Sokoto State, moderated by the Stakeholder Relations Director of NI-ABAE, and supported by the PRO Katsina SPHCA.
The meeting commended the implementing states for reaching over 500,000 infants. The program is now operating at 1,352 clinics with caregivers from 11,632 settlements in North West Nigeria. This milestone has been achieved by the implementing states in close collaboration with NI-ABAE.
The objectives of the meeting are to review program progress, share experiences including challenges and proffer solutions to implementation gaps
The meeting received updates from the stakeholder relations unit and operations unit on future expansion plans from the NI-ABAE’s supported program. The participants discussed extensively on vaccine supply, use of program data and ownership of the supported CCT Program by the state government. General discussion ensued followed by a resolution and presentation of the communique to the media.
RESOLUTIONS
The meeting built on, and tracked the recommendations agreed upon in the meeting on 16th September, 2021 and emerging issues:
The program will continue to align its implementation with the Federal and State laws, policies including routine immunization plans and priorities.
The implementing states of Bauchi, Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara will provide the enabling environment for New Incentives – All Babies Are Equal Initiative to support programme expansion of the conditional cash transfers for routine immunization to more LGAs, health facilities, and infants.
Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara States’ health authorities agreed to greater ownership of the conditional cash transfers for routine immunization program, confirming that this program is in line with its routine immunization and public health plans and priorities.
New Incentives – All Babies Are Equal Initiative through the implementing state will
Continue to support demand creation and other components of routine immunization in the five States and at the national level;
Continue to provide transparent and regular updates to all stakeholders; and provide support on routine immunization, health, and social protection.
The State Ministry for Health, through the office of the Commissioners of Health, will:
Continue to provide the needed support to the programs at all levels;
Facilitate meetings between the Governors of their State and NI-ABAE representatives;
Encourage the Governors of their States to present the program gains and successes at every forum including the national health stakeholders to support the programme.
The State Primary Health Care Development Agencies commit to supporting the CCT for RI program at all levels, provide the needed support to ensure the expansion of the program to over 60 LGAs in Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto and Bauchi States (to exceed this target), ensure adequate vaccine supply and health worker discipline in all health facilities, engage all relevant state actors to ensure successful conditional cash transfers programming, ensure accountability among health workers, and reinforce accurate reporting of vaccine utilization.
In addition, the State Primary Health Care Development Agencies agreed to make their cold chain facility accessible and request for improved vaccine efficacy with relevant stakeholders.
Commissioners for Health and Executive Secretaries of program states to meet and discuss on state level vaccine logistics system to improve immunization coverage and reduce stock out & and wastages.
The Program should allow data to speak for its impact as this will facilitate stakeholders’ ownership.
Commissioners for Health of the respective program states will take the responsibility of leading engagement with NPHCDA in support of program sustainability.
The implementing state agree to develop a sustainability framework for the CCT for RI program.
Other RI implementing partners should be invited to subsequent meetings to allow for program synergy.
NEXT STEPS
The CCT for RI program will continue to align its implementation with Federal and State laws including policies.
The Program will work with relevant stakeholders to ensures data speaks for its impact at all levels.
Relevant stakeholders in Katsina, Jigawa, Sokoto and Zamfara States to provide necessary support to expand the conditional cash transfers for routine immunization programs to more LGAs, health facilities, and infants and commit to its ownership.
The Program will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to implement all agreement reached towards improved immunization coverage across all implementing states.
The supporting organization will work with the Commissioners for Health of the respective program states towards meaningful engagement with NPHCDA and other stakeholders in support of program sustainability.
Advocate to Governors of the benefiting state to arrange meetings among themselves to share success stories as well as challenges as it relates to immunization coverage.
To address concerns with periodic vaccines stockout, Commissioners for Health and Executive Secretaries of program states will meet and discuss on state level vaccine logistics system to improve immunization coverage and reduce stock out and wastages.
Next Joint State Stakeholders meeting to be held in September 2022, coordinated by Sokoto SPHCDA.
Signed this 19th day of March, 2022 by:
The Honourable Commissioner for Health Sokoto SMOH, Mohammed Ali Inname _____
The Honourable Commissioner for Health Katsina SMOH, Engr. Yakubu Nuhu Danja _____
Permanent Secretary, MOWA Katsina State, Abdulhamid Garba Sabuwa, ________
Executive Secretary of Jigawa SPHCDA, Dr. Kabir Ibrahim ___________
Executive Secretary of Zamfara SPHCB, Dr. Tukur Ismaila ____________
Executive Secretary of Katsina SPHCDA, Dr. Shamsuddeen Yahaya _________
Executive Chairman, Bauchi SPHCDA, Dr. Rilwan Muhammad _________
Director Disease Control and Immunization, Zamfara SPHCB, Lawali Bello ______
Director PHC Katsina, Dr. Nafisa Sani Nass________________
Director PHC Bauchi, Bakoji Ahmed__________________
Director Disease Control and Immunization, Bauchi SPHCDA, Dahiru l.Mahmood _____
Program Manager of Katsina SERICC, Dr. Shemau Kabir Abba _________
Program Manager of Zamfara SERICC, Almustapha Aliyu ___________
Program Manager of Sokoto State SERICC, Aliyu Abbas ___________
Program Manager of Bauchi State SERICC, Dr. Jibreel Muhammad ________
Director Community and Family Health Services, SPHCB Zamfara, Bello Maccido, ____
DD PRS, Jigawa State MOH, Hamisu Adamu, _______________
Stakeholder Relations Advisor, NI-ABAE, Alh. Aminu Danmalam __________
Stakeholder Relations Advisor, NI-ABAE, Dr. Abdulwahab Ahmad _________
PRO, Katsina SPHCA, Ibrahim Almu Gafai _______________
NPHCDA Logistics Head, North West Nasiru Roni _____________
NPHCDA Logistics Officer, North West Shamsuddeen Abdullahi __________
Stakeholder Relations Director, NI-ABAE, Nura Muhammad ___________
Operations Coordinator, NI-ABAE, Mubarak M. Bawa ____________
Stakeholder Relations Manager, NI-ABAE, Zaharadden Sabiu _________
States Partnership Manager, Dr. Hauwa Bello Katagum ____________
Stakeholder Relations Off., Zamfara State, Muhammad Ibn Mahmoud _______
Program Manager of Jigawa SERICC, Shehu Ibrahim ____________
Program Manager of Gombe SERICC, Musa Ibrahim Kuna ___________
CPO, MOH Bauchi State, Nuru Yakubu Umar ______________
