eHealth Africa, in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), has introduced a new digital innovation called Planfeld to improve the planning and execution of polio vaccination and routine immunization activities across Nigeria.
The pilot workshop for this digital innovation was launched in Kaduna State, where eHealth Africa’s Program Manager, Abubakar Shehu, led the demonstration of the Planfeld application. The tool was showcased to primary healthcare workers and stakeholders, illustrating how it can streamline the creation of accurate micro plans and monitor vaccination activities in real-time.
Speaking to the media, Shehu explained, “The Planfeld application will enable us to develop micro plans that accurately identify the number of settlements targeted, the children in those areas, and the necessary vaccine quantities. What previously took four days to manually develop, especially for polio vaccination, can now be completed in less than 30 minutes using this digital tool.”
He emphasized that the digital innovation in micro-planning would help reach more settlements with critical public health interventions. “To achieve the desired immunisation impact, at least 80% of the target population must be reached. This technology allows us to quickly and accurately generate micro plans, enhancing both the efficiency and scope of our vaccination efforts,” he added.
The pilot workshops are set to be conducted in Kaduna, Niger, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, with a plan to gather feedback to further optimise the Planfeld solution.
Victor Obagunju Adeleke, Team Leader of the Polio Outbreak Project at SOLINA Center for International Development and Research, commended the digital innovation for its efficiency. “This tool significantly reduces the time and effort needed to develop micro plans and ensures better resource allocation. The real-time data entry system allows for immediate analysis and feedback at the state level,” he said.
Dr. Abdullahi Musa Garba, Incident Manager at the Polio Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA), highlighted the accuracy and efficiency improvements provided by the digitised process. “This digital innovation not only improves accuracy in polio immunisation planning but also minimises errors compared to manual methods. It will simplify the work for the technical teams involved in vaccination efforts,” he stated.
The collaboration between eHealth Africa and NPHCDA underscores the transformative power of digital innovation in healthcare, and is expected to revolutionise vaccine planning and delivery in Nigeria, strengthening public health systems and boosting disease prevention efforts.