LAGOS, Nigeria – The National and State Primary Health Care Development Agencies, in collaboration with the Nigerian Red Cross Society, have trained 35 data collectors to strengthen routine immunisation in three Anambra local government areas—Anambra West, Ogbaru, and Nnewi North—identified for low vaccination coverage.
The two-day training, which ended on Friday in Awka, is part of the second phase of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods project, funded by the Mastercard Foundation and supported by the Africa Centre for Disease Control.
Senior Project Officer, Dr Ahmad Abdulmajid, said, “The job of the data collectors after the training is to go to these communities and gather data on immunisation enrollment,” adding that the initiative will last six months and is also being implemented in nine other states.
Speaking at the event, Dr Abdulmajid stressed that the project aims to improve preparedness for disease outbreaks through accurate data gathering and enhanced vaccination uptake.
“We want to see communities that are strong in disease control through vaccination and immunisation and also to prepare them in case an outbreak comes, they can be able to fight it,” he said.
Director of Advocacy and Communication at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Aliyu Ladan—represented by Mr Felix Ajidua—noted that participants were trained on tools like Kobo Collect and Open Data Kits to support evidence-based programming.
“We are also training the data collectors… on how to build trust and good listening skills in the course of the exercise,” he added.
The State Health Educator, Mrs Uju Onwuegbuzina, highlighted the partners’ technical and financial support, stating, “We want all the eligible children to be vaccinated against all these vaccine-preventable diseases so that there will be no outbreak.”
She emphasised that vaccines remain “safe, free and effective” and urged community cooperation, especially in light of the diphtheria threat.
