PUBLICATIONS

Background: Persistent malaria transmission in Africa underscores the need for spatially explicit tools that identify highly endemic areas for targeted control. Although multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) offers a structured approach, its application has been limited by outdated environmental inputs and inconsistent factor aggregation

methods: . This study developed an ecology-informed Malaria Vulnerability Index (MVI) for Bayelsa State, Nigeria, using up-to-date, open-source geospatial datasets and a transparent...

Background: Nigeria continues to bear one of the world’s highest maternal and neonatal mortality burdens, with the 2018 NDHS estimating a maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 512 per 100,000 live births and United Nations inter-agency estimates suggesting it may have exceeded 1,047 per 100,000 by 2020. Efficient allocation of scarce resources requires transparent and reproducible approaches for identifying high-burden Local Government Areas (LGAs). This study developed and validated a national LGA-level prioritisation...

Malaria transmission in Taraba State, Nigeria, remains a persistent public health challenge, shaped by climatic and ecological factors. Although the influence of weather patterns on malaria incidence has been widely studied, limited research has incorporated ecological zoning into predictive modelling frameworks.

Methods: We analysed malaria incidence data (2021–2023) from the District Health Information Software (DHIS2), alongside rainfall and temperature data from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet). Data...

Malaria ranks as the fifth leading cause of death from infectious diseases globally. Despite centuries of scientific advancement, malaria remains a major global health challenge, affecting populations across 91 countries and placing millions at risk each year. Nigeria accounts for 27% of the global malaria burden. However, this burden is highest in the northern parts of the country. Bauchi State contributed an estimated 4.5% of Nigeria’s 68 million malaria cases in 2021. This study employs an extended Susceptible-I...

Background: Health insurance coverage in Nigeria remains low, with coverage remains below 15%, leaving most dependent on out-of-pocket expenditure despite reforms such as the NHIA Act. These policy efforts are constrained by weak implementation systems at state level. In Bayelsa State, the Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme (BHIS) faced operational challenges including manual enrolment and claims processes, fragmented data systems, delayed claims adjudication, inefficient provider payments, and limited monitoring and...

Background: Nigeria’s Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and project-based Direct Facility Financing (DFF) often operate concurrently in primary health care facilities. Understanding how frontline workers navigate these overlapping funding streams can inform primary health care financing reforms that could strengthen routine immunisation and other essential services

Methodology: We conducted a qualitative study nested within a large Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial (cRCT) of Demand-Side Incentives (DSI) p...

Abstract

Background: Lassa fever remains a major public health threat in West Africa, requiring coordinated scientific, policy, and financing responses. Regional scientific convenings are increasingly used to connect research evidence with policy action, yet their contribution to epidemic preparedness is not well documented

Methods: We conducted a qualitative health systems and policy analysis of the 2nd ECOWAS Lassa Fever International Conference (ELFIC 2025) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Data sources comprised 302 s...

Background: Globally, Nigeria contributes the highest percentage of malaria cases (24.3%) and deaths (30.3) and more than half of the cases in the WHO Africa Region. Being a climate-sensitive disease, malaria provides a use case for integrating routine health surveillance data with environmental information to strengthen climate-resilient health systems Bayelsa and Rivers States, in southern Nigeria, are marked by all-round rainfall, yet display marked spatial and temporal differences in malaria burden. Leveraging D...

Abstract

Introduction: measles, a highly contagious disease, poses significant risks, particularly to unvaccinated children and pregnant women. Vaccination remains the most effective control measure. In Nigeria, outbreaks are more prevalent in areas with low vaccination coverage, including Ondo State, which recently experienced an outbreak. This study employs a deterministic model to evaluate the impact of vaccination and other factors influencing measles transmission in the region

Methods: a mathematical model s...

Background: Malaria remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria, with persistently high morbidity in Kebbi State in the north-western region. Understanding how ecological conditions, seasonal trends, and access to health services interact to shape malaria burden is essential for strengthening routine surveillance and guiding targeted interventions. Using DHIS2 as the primary malaria surveillance platform, this study examines spatio-temporal trends in malaria case notification rates (CNRs) from 2019 to 2024 an...

Nigeria’s significant contribution to the global pool of zero-dose children persists despite ongoing immunisation investments. This coverage deficits in Kano and Lagos states serve as stark indicators of underlying structural and socio-economic obstacles hindering equitable immunisation access at the sub-national level.

Methods: To investigate these barriers, localised secondary data from various sources were collected including data from the State Routine Immunisation (RI) microplans, demographic and health survey...

Nigeria contributes nearly 27% of the global malaria burden, with over 68 million cases and 194,000 deaths reported in 2021. Despite large-scale interventions, malaria remains heterogenous in space and time, complicating control efforts. Household surveys such as the NMIS provide robust prevalence estimates but are conducted only every five years, limiting their utility for timely programme action. In contrast, routine health facility data from the DHIS2 offer high-frequency, geographically disaggregated case and t...

Immunisation remains a vital public health intervention, significantly reducing vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and saving millions of lives annually. However, challenges persist in lowand middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in Africa, where many children remain zero-dose having not received the Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus (DTP)-containing vaccine. Nigeria, especially in its northern region, faces substantial barriers due to socio-economic hardships, low education levels, and deep-rooted cultur...

Introduction: Gender-sensitive workforce capacity development (WCD) is needed in the public health care system to advance global health, achieve universal health coverage, and accomplish sustainable development goals. Globally, there has been a progressive trend towards increased gender diversity within the public health workforce, however; gaps still exist especially in access to workforce capacity development opportunities for women. This study aimed to assess gender-related factors affecting women's participatio...

Background: Mathematical modelling plays a crucial role in understanding malaria epidemiology and evaluating anti-malarial interventions. In sub-Saharan Africa, National Malaria Control Programmes are increasingly collaborating with modellers to optimise impact within constrained fiscal environments and evaluate the effectiveness of ongoing malaria control efforts. Despite Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Programme soliciting modelling expertise, there remains a significant capacity gap in low- and middle-inco...

Background: Following the global spread of monkeypox (Mpox) beyond endemic regions, particularly with index cases traced to travelers from Nigeria, Mpox was declared a public health emergency of international concern. Understanding public knowledge and perception of Mpox is critical for prevention and control, especially in vulnerable populations

Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study employed a mixed-methods approach using structured interviewer-administered questionnaires among 1,126 adults across four...

Introduction: malaria remains a significant public health burden in sub-Saharan Africa, with Kano State reporting over 6 million cases in 2022. Despite ongoing control efforts, malaria transmission persists due to climatic factors, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and gaps in treatment access. Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is a widely recommended treatment. This study analyzed malaria transmission dynamics in Kano using a mathematical model to evaluate the impact of ACT coverage on disease contro...

Introduction: despite the proven contribution of immunisation to the reduction in morbidity and mortality due to vaccine-preventable diseases, many children worldwide, particularly zero-dose children, are still deprived of the benefits of this cost-effective public health intervention. Reaching all eligible children requires innovative approaches such as design thinking (DT), a people-centred approach to executing public health interventions. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of stakeholders on using a D...

Persistent malaria transmission in Africa underscores the need for spatially explicit tools that identify highly endemic areas for targeted control. Although multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) offers a structured approach, its application has been limited by outdated environmental inputs and inconsistent factor aggregation methods. This study developed an ecology-informed Malaria Vulnerability Index (MVI) for Bayelsa State, Nigeria, using up-to-date, open-source geospatial datasets and a transparent weighting...

Background: Nigeria’s Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and project-based Direct Facility Financing (DFF) often operate concurrently in primary health care facilities. Understanding how frontline workers navigate these overlapping funding streams can inform primary health care financing reforms that could strengthen routine immunisation and other essential services.\nMethodology: We conducted a qualitative study nested within a large Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial (cRCT) of Demand-Side Incentives (DSI)...

Background and Rationale: \nNigeria’s Primary Health Care (PHC) system was designed to guarantee universal access to essential health services. However, its performance has been constrained by fragmented data systems, reliance on paper-based reporting, and weak data governance. Despite national policies such as the Nigeria Digital Health Initiative and the PHC Under One Roof policy, health information systems remain siloed and underutilised in decision-making. To address these gaps, the Federal Ministry of Health and...

Maternal and Child Health (MCH) conditions continue to be a major public health concern in lowand middle-income countries (LMICs), which account for 94% of maternal deaths worldwide. Despite documented successes from government interventions at all levels, maternal and child mortality remains high in Nigeria. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of strengthened Ward Development Committees (WDCs) on the use of reproductive and maternal and child health services in a specific local government area (LGA)...

Introduction: immunisation is a critical intervention in public health; it protects children from vaccine-preventable diseases and deaths. Yet, many children have either received none/some of the recommended vaccines. Despite evidence of overall improvement in Immunisation coverage post-COVID-19, significant disparities remain within countries like Cameroon, especially the zero-dose burden (ZDB). Address zero-dose and under-immunisation. The objective was to determine the drivers of low vaccination rates, and poor...

Introduction: Despite abundant evidence showing immunisation as a lifesaving public health measure, a large proportion of Nigerian children are still not or fully vaccinated. Lack of awareness and distrust of the immunisation process by caregivers are some of the reasons for poor immunisation coverage which need to be addressed. This study aimed at improving vaccination demand, acceptance and uptake in Bayelsa and Rivers State, both in the Niger Delta Region (NDR) of Nigeria through a human-centred process of trust...