The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting Nigeria to strengthen data and information management systems to help identify children who are missed during polio vaccination campaigns.
Sixty-two data and information management officers from Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory are participating in a two-week training in Akwanga, Nasarawa State.
The training focuses on improving data quality, disease surveillance, immunisation reporting, settlement mapping and location-based analysis to help health teams identify underserved communities and respond more quickly.
Participants are also being trained in tools such as District Health Information Software 2, R programming and QGIS to track trends, update dashboards, map settlements and identify areas requiring additional vaccination support.
Nigeria and the African Region were certified free of wild poliovirus in August 2020, but circulating variant polioviruses remain a concern. The initiative is aimed at supporting efforts to interrupt cVPV2 and cVPV3 transmission while strengthening routine immunisation, disease surveillance and primary healthcare delivery.
Each participant will return to their state with a 90-day action plan focused on improving reporting, data quality, settlement mapping and the early identification of communities requiring additional vaccination support.
