By Jethro Ibileke

A non-governmental organization, eHealth Africa, in collaboration with the Sokoto state government, has facilitated the delivery of two million vaccines to remote and vulnerable locations in the state in the last six months.

The collaboration also made possible the immunization of over 800,000 children within the same period.

eHA is committed to reducing zero-dose children and ensuring that quality vaccines are available at ward-level cold-chain equipped health facilities in Sokoto and across Nigeria.

A statement by the Coordinator of Communications of eHealth Africa (Nigeria), Moshood Isah, noted that s of 2018, vaccination rates in Sokoto state were among the lowest in Nigeria, with only 3% of children receiving pentavalent vaccine by their first birthday as revealed by National Bureau of Statistics and United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

According to a Health Delivery Officer in the state, Umar Muhammed, factors responsible for low vaccination rates in the state include insecurity, banditry and bad road conditions made worse by the rainy season.

These conditions, he noted, have hindered delivery of vaccines to some health facilities in Sokoto state, namely, Kiyara PHC, Damba PHC, Bauni PHC, Raka PHC, Dangulbi PHC and Fadarawa Health Post, and Rugga Kijjo Health Post.

“But, where vaccine could not be delivered to health facilities in Sokoto state, the delivery team found a creative way to ensure delivery to these high risk areas by liaising and collaborating with the health facility in charge within those communities through close communications and stipend-based reward to ensure they have vaccines at their health facilities.

“We don’t just provide a stipend, we monitor and follow up until vaccines arrive at the facilities safely, deliveries were always 100% successful to the affected facilities. It can only be done using motorcycles from the LGA cold store.

“The team monitors the process until vaccines arrive at the facilities safely within the required temperature, deliveries are always 100% successful to the affected facilities,” Muhammed disclosed.

The statement stated further:

“Sokoto State which shares borders with the Niger Republic has battled varying degrees of insecurity relating to kidnapping, cattle rustling and banditry in recent years. Areas primarily affected include Isa, Sabon Birni, Gwadabawa, Illela, Tangaza, and Goronyo. They contribute to a total of 65 out of the 240 wards in the state.

“Beyond security challenges, hard to reach areas, unavailability of vaccines, unfavorable weather conditions and vaccine hesitancy due to religious beliefs largely contributed to low immunization coverage rates in Nigeria and most inequitable in the world according to United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“In 2016, eHealth Africa (eHA) was engaged by the State Ministry of Health, with support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and Dangote Group on the Vaccine Direct Delivery project to commence the delivery of vaccine and dry goods for immunization against vaccine preventable diseases in Kano, Bauchi, Zamfara and Sokoto State.

“The intervention most recently done in Collaboration with Sokoto State Primary HealthCare Development Agency (SSPHCDA), devised strategic ways to deliver Antigens and dry goods to cold chain-equipped health facilities at ward-level and LGA cold stores at appropriate temperatures (between +2 to +8 Degree Centigrade).

“Using the Logistics Management Information System (LoMIS); a suite of offline-capable mobile and web applications developed by eHealth Africa, they address challenges with the supply/distribution of health commodities to last-mile health facilities.

“Stakeholders in Sokoto state agree that the Vaccine Direct Delivery interventions have contributed to reducing the challenge of zero stock for vaccines as a result of effective automated documentation of vaccines and its consumables while also limiting the use of papers to promote sustainability in both environment and the health sector.

“In the words of Murtala Bello, the Director, Pharmaceutical Services, and Logistics Officer, Primary Health Care Development Agency, Sokoto State, ‘the use of digital solutions has improved delivery, it has also improved availability of these vaccines.’ This according to him has improved accessibility and increased immunization coverage in the State.

“According to eHA project Manager, Mohammed Faosy, in the last six months (Jan-June), over two million vaccines have been delivered to average of 351 cold-chain equipped health facilities monthly, leading to the immunization of over 800,000 children against Vaccine preventable diseases in Sokoto State.

“This is an 18% increase in the number of children reported vaccinated in the state in the first half of 2022. He reiterated that, despite implementing the VDD project in a security-compromised location such as Sokoto state, the project’s performance in terms of delivery rate has been outstanding.