BOOST, KN-CoP Partner Nurses to Tackle Zero-Dose, Under-Immunisation in Kano

The BOOST Project and the Kano Community of Practice on Immunization Budget Tracking, Advocacy and Accountability (KN-CoP) have strengthened collaboration with nurses and midwives to reach more zero-dose and under-immunised children across Kano State.

The commitment was renewed during an advocacy follow-up visit to the Kano State branch of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), where stakeholders discussed and reviewed the Association commitment on the strategies and ways on addressing barriers affecting access to child health services especially immunization and practical measures to improve coverage in underserved communities.

The Better Opportunities for Optimal Services and Targeted Immunisation for Zero-Dose and Under-immunised Children (BOOST) Project is implemented by Save the Children International with support from GSK.

The delegation was led by Umar Ibrahim, Advocacy and Policy Officer of the BOOST Project, alongside Salisu Yusuf, Chairman of KN-CoP, and other stakeholders.

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Receiving the delegation, the Chairman of NANNM Kano State Council, Comrade Ibrahim Muhammad Mai Ƙarfi, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to supporting efforts to improve child health services across the state.

Mai Ƙarfi highlighted measures undertaken by NANNM to address service gaps, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, including Dala, Kano Municipal and Gwale.

He said the association had mapped healthcare workers and underserved communities to identify workforce gaps and improve coverage during vaccination activities.

According to him, community-level assessments also identified barriers to uptake, including the attitudes of some healthcare workers, inadequate public awareness, financial constraints and difficulties accessing health facilities.

Mai Ƙarfi said NANNM had engaged local and traditional leaders to promote community ownership and encourage greater participation in vaccination activities.

He added that the association had used radio platforms, to educate residents on child health, environmental sanitation and personal hygiene.

The NANNM chairman further said nurses and midwives had received training in behavioural communication, vaccine safety and cold-chain management to improve service delivery and ensure proper handling of vaccines.

He disclosed that the association had also established an internal disciplinary committee to address cases of poor attitude and misconduct among healthcare workers, with the aim of improving trust between patients and providers.

The BOOST delegation commended NANNM for its initiatives and stressed the critical role of nurses and midwives in delivering primary healthcare services, particularly to children and families in underserved communities.

The team also presented NANNM leadership with advocacy briefs focusing on healthcare financing, healthcare workers’ attitudes and gender considerations in health service delivery.

The BOOST Project further invited NANNM representatives to participate in forthcoming health advocacy activities, including events marking World Polio Day, as part of efforts to deepen collaboration and reach more children who remain unreached by essential health services.