Maternal and Child Survival Program Nigeria - Routine Immunization Quarterly Report Program Year 2 First Quarter October 1st to December 31st, 2015

Agency for International Development (USAID) cooperative agreement aimed at introducing and supporting high-impact health interventions in 24 priority countries, including Nigeria. The program's ultimate goal is to end preventable maternal and child deaths within a generation. MCSP engages governments, policymakers, private sector leaders, healthcare providers, civil society, faith-based organizations, and communities in adopting and accelerating proven approaches to address major causes of maternal, newborn, and child mortality. In Nigeria, MCSP has launched multiple activities, including a routine immunization (RI) technical assistance program in Bauchi and Sokoto states. The program's objectives in Bauchi and Sokoto states are to support state-led and state-owned efforts to achieve high RI coverage and expand the availability and quality of RI services. In Bauchi, the objectives include achieving >50% RI coverage in every ward by the end of December 2016 and >80% RI coverage in every ward by the end of December 2017. In Sokoto, the objectives include achieving >80% RI coverage in every ward by the end of December 2018. MCSP has been supporting the implementation of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency's (SPHCDA's) quadripartite RI strengthening memorandum of understanding (MOU) since January 2015, and of the Sokoto SPHCDA's quadripartite RI strengthening MOU since October 2015. The program has been tasked by each state's SPHCDA, and by the three remaining MOU signatories—USAID, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), and the Dangote Foundation—to focus on providing technical assistance in areas such as capacity building and training, supportive supervision, monitoring and use of data, supply/cold chain, and community engagement. The program's life of program objectives in Bauchi and Sokoto states are focused on strengthening the RI system to increase and sustain RI coverage and reduce childhood illness and death. MCSP-RI's program assistance aims to support state-led and state-owned efforts to achieve high RI coverage and expand the availability and quality of RI services. The program's activities in Bauchi and Sokoto states are designed to promote the transition of all responsibility for sustaining and building on these gains to the states by January 2018 and January 2019, respectively. MCSP has been working closely with state and other RI partners to achieve the program's objectives. The program has been providing technical assistance in areas such as capacity building and training, supportive supervision, monitoring and use of data, supply/cold chain, and community engagement. The program's activities have been focused on improving capacity to promote, deliver, and monitor RI services at the state, local government area (LGA), health facility (HF), and community levels. The program's progress has been monitored and evaluated through various indicators, including RI coverage, vaccine availability, and health facility readiness. The program's activities have been designed to promote the transition of all responsibility for sustaining and building on these gains to the states. The program's ultimate goal is to end preventable maternal and child deaths within a generation.