By Newspointer News Desk
December 18, 2025
The Bauchi State House of Assembly has deepened its legislative commitment to routine immunisation by translating evidence-based data into concrete budgetary action, leading to full state funding of immunisation in the 2025 fiscal year.
Lawmakers made this known during a media interaction with selected journalists at the Bauchi State House of Assembly on Wednesday, while reviewing the impact of engagements with the Zero Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) and its Community of Practice (CoP).
Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Hon. Lawan Dauda, said the ZDLH engagements enabled legislators to convert immunisation data into actionable policies and budget decisions, particularly as Bauchi State has 13 zero-dose local government areas.
According to him, insights drawn from immunisation scorecards reshaped legislative oversight, allowing the Assembly to focus on timely release of funds, effective outreach, vaccine availability and the functionality of cold-chain systems in underserved communities.
Similarly, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Mohammed Wanzam, said data provided by ZDLH played a critical role in defending and harmonising a fully state-funded immunisation allocation of about ₦872 million in the 2025 budget.
Wanzam explained that the evidence repositioned immunisation from a routine health expenditure to a strategic investment in human capital and development, in line with national commitments such as the Lagos Declaration.
He added that the Appropriation Committee resisted pressures to reduce immunisation funding, insisting on a dedicated budget line and structuring releases to align with quarterly work plans. He further noted that improved collaboration among the Health, Appropriation and Public Accounts Committees has shifted oversight from mere budgetary allocations to tracking actual releases and utilisation.
The lawmakers stressed that the full release of the 2025 immunisation budget reflects growing political will and legislative accountability, adding that the transition to a 100 per cent state-funded immunisation basket enhances sustainability and positions Bauchi as a leading example of domestically financed immunisation in Nigeria.
In his response, the Bauchi State focal person of the African Health Budget Network (AHBN) and implementing partner of ZDLH, Dr. Hassan Shu’aibu, commended the State Legislature for its consistent support.
He expressed optimism that sustained legislative oversight would help reverse Bauchi State’s zero-dose status, noting that throughout the two years of AHBN–ZDLH implementation, the Assembly has remained accessible and responsive to engagements aimed at strengthening immunisation financing and accountability.
