Dear Partner,
Greetings and welcome to the first-quarter edition of our newsletter for the year 2024. It brings me great pleasure to share with you the strides we made in the last quarter. The pages ahead are filled with insights into our recent initiatives and activities, reiterating our commitment to improving healthcare systems and service delivery.
Our collaboration with the Kano State Primary Health Care Board on a Pfizer Foundation-funded Rotavirus Vaccine Initiative exemplifies the impact of strategic partnerships to improve child health outcomes.
Employing a data-driven approach and community engagement strategies, our support for rotavirus vaccination across nine LGAs in the state led to a consistent increase in uptake and coverage of vaccinated children under one year. This significantly contributes to efforts by government and other partners to reduce zero dose challenge, as well as missed opportunity for vaccination. On average, we reached and retained 15% of the annual target of children aged 12 to 23 months who previously missed their rotavirus vaccinations before turning 1 till completion of third dose. This feat is primarily attributed to our facilitated outreaches, which have been instrumental in preventing missed vaccinations for children aged 0 to 11 months, contributing to over 50% uptake and retention. Furthermore, these outreaches have been highly effective in addressing missed vaccinations among children aged 12 to 23 months, with a remarkable 90% uptake and retention rate.
We are confident that our partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health to finalize the National Safe Mother-hood strategic framework and the Nigeria Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality (NiEPMM) document will effectively address crucial policy gaps. This collaboration will enable smoother implementation of safe motherhood interventions, leading to substantial improvements in maternal and newborn health outcomes across the nation.
Participating in the Global Catalyzer Conference on Scaling up Group Antenatal Care and other Group Care Models marked a significant moment in our journey towards contributing to universal access to maternal healthcare. In Nairobi, Kenya, our team joined over 120 experts from over 30 and the WHO countries to forge a path towards ensuring every pregnant woman receives the care she deserves by 2030. TAConnect’s pivotal role in this endeavour, showcased through our work in Nigeria, underscores our commitment to advancing maternal healthcare worldwide.
We also joined millions around the globe to commemorate International Women’s Day under the theme of “Inspire Inclusion,” reaffirming our commitment to champion diversity, parity, and inclusivity in leadership through dedicated campaigns and initiatives.
In closing, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our partners, stakeholders, and dedicated team members whose tireless efforts continue to drive positive change in the maternal and child healthcare landscape. Together, we will turn the tide and usher in a brighter, healthier future for generations to come.
We thank all our funders and partners for their trust and collaboration.
Warm Regards,
Lilian Anomnachi
Executive Director, TAConnect
