Muhammad Garba
A Donor Partner known as “All Babies Are Equal” has urged Jigawa state Governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar to promote the “Cash Transfer Incentive for Routine Immunization” at Nigerian Governors Forum for the improvement of child immunization coverage in the nation.
The Stakeholders Relationship Director of the Organization, Mr Nura Muhammad made the call when he paid a courtesy visit to Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar at Dutse government house.
He said the program is using cash incentive to encourage mothers and less privilege families to take their children for Routine Immunization.
The Director revealed that, caregivers receives N500 for each of the first four routine immunization visit and N2,000 for the fifth immunization visit.
Mr Nura disclosed that over 110,000 caregivers in Jigawa state benefited from “Cash Transfer for Routine Immunization Initiative ” funded by the organization
“We have an evidence that the cash transfer initiative contributed to the increase of routine Immunization coverage with 26% from the commencement of the program in 2018 to 2020”
“Considering the impact of the initiative at four selected pilot local government in Jigawa state, Your Excellency we urged you to advocate and promote the “Cash Transfer Incentive for Routine Immunization” program at Nigerian Governors Forum.”
“We are optimistic that, if routine immunization coverage increased in the North and Nigeria at large, the National Indices for Child Mortality rate would certainly drop down,” Mr Nura declared.
In his remarks during the visit, Governor Badaru described the Initiative as classical example of Human Capital Development Investment that could enhance social and economic development of any given society.
Governor Badaru promised to keep on collaborating with “All Babies Are Equal” and other donor partners to improve public healthcare services delivery for achieving sustainable social and economic development in the state.
Report from the state ministry of health revealed that, as a result of series of intervention, effective strategy and collaboration with partners and other stakeholders, the Jigawa had a dramatic change in immunization coverage from 7% in 2012 to 93% in 2020.
