NIGERIA GOVERNORS’ IMMUNIZATION LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE 2013-2014 REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT JUDGING PANEL

Abstract

The 2013-2014 Nigeria Governors’ Immunization Leadership Challenge is the second edition of a national initiative started in 2012 to improve political commitment amongst Nigeria’s State Governors to eradicating polio and improving immunization services. The Challenge is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and managed by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum in close partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and WHO Nigeria, with support from the Federal Ministry of Health. An independent judging panel made up of Nigerian and international experts convened twice, in March and September 2014, to review the Challenge performance data and select winning states within two award categories: National Polio Achievement and Polio Free Achievement. The first meeting was held in Abuja on March 26-27, 2014 with the goal of reviewing the National Polio Achievement Award performance data collected during the 2013 calendar year. The panel then connected by phone on September 3, 2014 to review the Polio Free Achievement Award performance data, which spanned July 2013 through June 2014.Based on the judging panel’s review of the available performance data, Ondo state has been identified as the highest performing state in the nation under the National Polio Achievement Award category.