Bauchi Lawmakers Reaffirm Commitment to Sustaining Immunisation Funding, Target Zero-Dose Children
By Ahmed Ahmed
The Bauchi State House of Assembly has reaffirmed its strong commitment to sustaining immunisation financing and intensifying efforts to reduce the number of zero-dose children across the state, following a high-level qualitative interview with key legislative committees held at the Assembly complex.
The interview, conducted on Tuesday, December 17, 2025, was led by the Bauchi State Focal Person of the African Health Budget Network (AHBN), Dr. Hassan Shuaibu Musa, alongside a team of journalists.
It focused on the roles of the House Committee on Health and the House Committee on Appropriation in shaping healthcare and immunisation policies, budgets, and oversight, particularly in addressing Bauchi’s high zero-dose burden.
Speaking during the engagement, the Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Hon. Lawan Dauda, explained that his committee provides legislative leadership on health-related laws, policies, and budget scrutiny.
He noted that regular engagements with the State Ministry of Health, the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA), and development partners have strengthened legislative oversight on routine immunisation and primary healthcare delivery.
Hon. Dauda disclosed that evidence provided through the Zero Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) and its Community of Practice (CoP) played a critical role in shaping the 2025 health budget.
According to him, Bauchi State accounts for 13 zero-dose local government areas, a reality that underscored the urgency of prioritising immunisation financing.
“The ZDLH engagements helped us translate technical immunisation data into clear legislative and budgetary priorities, including the creation and protection of a dedicated immunisation budget line,” he said.
He added that the state successfully transitioned in 2025 from donor-supported basket funding to a fully state-funded immunisation basket worth about ₦872 million.
The Health Committee, he said, now conducts more evidence-based oversight, tracking whether released funds result in improved outreach services, vaccine availability, and functional cold-chain systems in facilities and LGAs identified as high-risk by immunisation scorecards.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Mohammed Wanzam, said his committee coordinated the review and harmonisation of the 2025 budget to ensure that routine immunisation and zero-dose reduction were treated as development and human capital priorities.
He explained that data from the ZDLH and the Immunisation Financing Scorecard provided strong justification for allocating and defending the ₦872 million immunisation budget during legislative negotiations.
Hon. Wanzam noted that immunisation funding has moved from being a routine budget item to a flagship component of Bauchi State’s pro-poor fiscal policy.
He said the committee now goes beyond approving allocations to tracking releases and utilisation of funds, working closely with the Health and Public Accounts Committees to ensure accountability and performance.
Both lawmakers acknowledged that the Lagos Declaration by northern legislators has further strengthened political will by providing a regional framework for sustained immunisation financing and legislative accountability.
They pledged continued collaboration to ensure timely releases of funds and sustained oversight beyond the lifespan of donor-supported initiatives.
In their remarks, the two committees commended the Zero Dose Learning Hub for supporting Bauchi State through budget advocacy, immunisation financing scorecards for 2023, 2024, and 2025, implementation research, and decentralised immunisation monitoring.
They called for the continuation of AHBN support to the Community of Practice and legislative oversight visits to zero-dose facilities.
Dr. Hassan Shuaibu Musa, speaking on behalf of the AHBN Convener and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba, and the national team.
He thanked the lawmakers for their unwavering support, expressing confidence that sustained legislative commitment would translate into long-term improvements in immunisation coverage and a significant reduction in zero-dose children across Bauchi State.
