Findings from people’s scorecards carried out by PAS sub grantees in Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, and Niger States showed existence of costed implementation plans, RI tasks forces and existence of budget lines in all the states. However, the scorecards also showed poor releases of allocated RI budgets and irregular releases of finances without proper guidelines.

In Niger State, PAS partner CCRHS-PAS worked with the coalition to produce the half year 2020 people’s scorecard. A cross-sectional assessment was conducted in addition to a review of Routine Immunization Supportive Supervision data. Scope of the assessment covered the 3 senatorial zones of the State.

Findings from the assessment showed that at the Governance and Leadership level, an Annual Costed Implementation Plan (CIP) for RI existed, while no RI task force meeting was held during the reporting period under review. With regards to Budget and Financial Management, RI budget line exists in the state’s annual health budget and the funds appropriated take into cognizance the annual funding needs of the state/aligns with CIP, but the major challenge is the irregular releases of finances without proper guideline.

The Service Delivery/Access Utilization theme showed a dismal result for conducted RI fixed and outreach sessions with the former indicating 68.8% of LGAs achieved 80% or more of conducted planned sessions and the latter showing 51.1%. About 48% of the LGAs in the State reported vaccine stock out for at least one month during the month under review. Furthermore, while the state has a functional walk in cold room, the cold chain capacity and contingency plans for vaccine storage was not sufficient. It is also noteworthy that due to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, SERICC has not held planned daily meetings. Three virtual meetings was held within the period under review with at least one member of the CSO in attendance.

The community engagement strategy has not been fully implemented in Niger State but Social mobilization and communication activities are carried out by a formal subcommittee of SERICC with representation by faith and community leaders.

Other findings in Niger State show that Penta 1, Penta 3 and MCV coverages for all the LGAs were below the minimal range of 50%, with the exception of Gbako and Chanchaga. The former showed a range of 61%, 62% and 81% for Penta 1, Penta 2 and MCV coverage while the latter showed a range of 80%, 73%, and 67% for Penta 1, Penta 2 and MCV coverage respectively. Gbako, Mokwa and Chanchaga LGAs had a commendable Penta 1- Penta 3 drop-out rate of 6%, 4.5% and 3% respectively while Rafi and Mariga had 18.5% and 12% which were above the maximum score range of 10%. Community engagement monthly meetings were held with at least 4 community leaders’/ village heads in the catchment in attendance in all the five LGAs.

In Kaduna State, PAS coalition observed that targets were achieved in governance and leadership, budget and financial management, service delivery, accountability and transparency. While community engagement, vaccine stock, and timely releases of routine immunization target are making progress. Other findings are as follows:

• At the LGA level, findings showed that governance and leadership, budget and financial management service delivery and functioning cold chain equipment all met targets. Community engagement, vaccine coverage and LERICC meeting targets are ongoing to be achieved
• At the health facility level, EPI micro-plan, service delivery and functional refrigerator with normal temperature ranges recorded in the past months all met target. Stock out of vaccine diluents and syringes in the past months, coverage of penta 1, penta 3 and MCV reached at 90% for each antigen in the previous month, Dropout rate of penta 1 and penta 3 less than 10% previous month, % of defaulter tracked and immunized, received operational funds for immunizations activities on time and immunization monitoring chart update and displayed visibly are all on-track to meeting targets. Community engagement target is yet to be achieved