By Bashir Bello

A Non-Governmental Organization, New Incentives says it has under its program – All Babies Are Equal Initiative, disbursed the sum of over N320 million as conditional cash transfer to support caregivers of 110,000 infants to avail their wards for routine immunization program against the childhood killer diseases in Katsina State.

The National Coordinator, Dr Obinna Ebirim, who stated this during a courtesy visit to Governor Aminu Bello Masari in Katsina, said the conditional cash transfer program has led to a significant increase in the likelihood that a child in areas where the program operates will receive vaccinations against deadly diseases, or even be fully immunized according to the national immunization schedule.

Ebirim described the significant increase recorded as an incredibly important feat as North-Western Nigeria has one of the lowest childhood immunization rates in the country noting that immunization is one of the most important public health interventions known to mankind, saving up to 3 million lives globally every year.

According to him, “The New Incentives – All Babies Are Equal Initiative has been operating the conditional cash transfers for routine immunization program in Katsina State since 2017. Since its inception, the program has enrolled over 110,000 infants whose caregivers have received more than N320 million indirectly verified cash disbursements in Katsina State alone. This is in addition to New Incentives’ indirect investments in the Katsina state’s economy, such as the over N160 million spent in 2020 alone on disbursements, salaries, engagement of community helpers, support to government health agencies, and purchase from local markets in Katsina State.

“New Incentives conditional cash transfer program has led to a significant increase in the likelihood that a child in areas where the program operates will receive vaccinations against deadly diseases, or even be fully immunized according to the national immunization schedule. This is an incredibly important feat as North-Western Nigeria has one of the lowest childhood immunization rates in Nigeria.

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“Thank you Your Excellency for the support Katsina State has provided for the program since we began here in 2017. We are proud to have a great partner in you in this journey to save the lives of Katsina children from vaccine-preventable deaths.

“Immunization is one of the most important public health interventions known to mankind, saving up to 3 million lives globally every year. Our program increases demand for routine childhood immunization through an evidence-based intervention that includes community mobilization, sensitization, conditional cash transfers, and defaulter tracking. An independent impact assessment of our program from 2017 to 2020 revealed that children in areas with the New Incentives’ intervention in Katsina State were 15 to 28 percentage points more likely to have received vaccinations against deadly diseases, such as Measles, Tuberculosis, and Diphtheria, than children in control areas,” Ebirim stated.

Responding, Governor Aminu Bello Masari expressed the readiness of the govt to support the program in the state.

“Routine immunization is very important and critical in the life of a baby while growing up. Monetary incentive is very good and the N500 disbursed during every immunization session is very important for women in rural communities. Katsina state and the State Ministry of Health will continue to support you to do more,” Masari said.

In his own remarks, the Katsina State Commissioner of Health, Yakubu Nuhu Danja commended the role New Incentives – All Babies Are Equal Initiative played in strengthening routine immunization and raising immunization coverage in the State.

Vanguard News Nigeria