The Geneva Learning Foundation Reviews 

"Nigeria Immunization Collaborative Root Cause Analysis (RCA) exercise is an amazing problem solving approach training organized by The Geneva Learning Foundation in collaboration with National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and UNICEF. The programme was launched on the 22nd while the RCA exercise started on the 23rd July and ended on 6th of August all in 2024 leading to my award of certificate of participation with distinction in the RCA Level 1.
My Experience:
" The invitation was shared with me by a UNICEF Social Behavioural Change consultant who worked with me before I retire from the service and I also shared with 2 other colleagues. Although I did not have the full understanding of the whole exercise initially but I have the understanding that even as a retiree, I can still make a difference in my community this prompted me to register for participation as it was required initially and for every session.
" I was unable to join the launching because it coincided with my trip to the United Kingdom at the time.
" Thereafter i received an email that read" Where are you? Did you miss it? etc.
" I was encouraged with the emails, hence I decided to continue the exercise though very tasking.
" Use of Root Cause Analysis to identify and proffer sustainable solutions working with relevant structures as a team
"During the exercise, schedule of activities was shared as email as well as reminders, zoom link, drop box etc.
" I participated in the process of the development of RCA, the mandatory discovery session to practice the 5 Whys and feedback group sessions, participated in remote coffee to have a one - on -one conversation with fellow participants as well as peer support when I and my colleagues help ourselves to resolve challenges encountered during the exercise, thereafter, Whats'up groups was created to further discuss challenges encountered.
" The collaborative help me to understand that people's behaviour or decision may be based on misinformation, misconception, rumour, negative influence of opinion others and this may be due to the level of knowledge/ awareness as it is in my RCA. . I understand fully that there is need to think out of the box why people behave in a particular manner and situation, ie the "why" which can in turn lead to other "whys" and these must be tackled from the main cause of the challenge
"Working with relevant others/opinion leaders and support from relevant bodies using data and other method of information gathering, I can conveniently conduct RCA and improve immunization coverage with available resources as analyzed in my level 1 RCA.
" In working with others in the collaborative, I realized that we can achieve better than working alone.
" I see greater achievements in any assignment committed into my hand in the nearest future
" The collaborative experience is exciting, I recommend all health managers and programme officers to avail themselves of the great opportunity to achieve results in their jobs.
"Kudos to the coordinators.
" I am now. empowered to use RCA
"What went wrong - not having RCA reviewed by participants that did not meet up with submission deadline
" Provision for revision of all submitted projects and provide necessary comment will be a great advantage all participants.
" The encouragements, instructions and clarification by the coordinators assisted me greatly to conduct self review and achieve success in the exercise.
You are awesome.
Thank you.

My experience was great because thinking deep, making researches and learning to apply the 5Rs to find out the root causes of hindrances to immunization around my area, also knowing that mothers are not alone to be blamed for poor immunization outcomes. I wouldn't have been able to achieve this if I hadn't joined this collaborative. I am so happy to be in a family of this.

One of the most useful things I learned during the Collaborative is that health professionals or workers coming together to achieve the goal of the survival of every child in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised. The Collaborative makes you recognize the priority that Child survival is given, when it comes to vaccine preventable diseases.
Moreover, since I have been able to arrive at the root cause of the problem we generally encountered in our community, it has become quite easy to address issues of ignorance and lack of knowledge of immunization by helping to drive out the initial fear that vaccines are dangerous or harmful. As the benefits and value of vaccines through enlightenment programs has shown that it outweighs the negatives that were initially attached to it.
It is now quite obvious to me, that one must not be superficial when dealing in the area of misinformation of vaccine preventable diseases.
For anyone who is yet to consider whether or not to join in the Collaborative, I will say to them, that this is a life time opportunity that must not be missed, as it gives you a chance to develop yourself even as it is an eye opener to better run your community health center for greater impact in the society.

My ability to personally provide solutions to my HPV challenges using my community based experiences.
The company is helping people to see their potentials in solving their problems.

Thanks to the Geneva Learning Foundation that went above and beyond to ensure that the Nigeria Immunization Collaborative learning exercise was a huge success. As a participant, I learnt how to effectively utilize the five whys of Root Cause Analysis to get solutions. I can see a future with innovative solutions on healthcare challenges and I recently applied the RCA to solve a problem in my community.

I recommend this collaboration to my friends in health care as it offers knowledge sharing and networking.

REVIEW OF THE NIGERIA MOVEMENT FOR IMMUNIZATION AGENDA 2030 IMMUNIZATION IN COLLABORATIVE/PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN NPHCDA, UNICEF, GENEVA LEARNING FOUNDATION AND GAVI THE VACCINE ALLIANCE

In early July and August 2024 Health Workers from 36 States and more than 300 LGAs came together for the first time with a shared goal: to make a difference. The main focus of the discourse was on preventable childhood immunizable diseases. Their mission was to ensure that every family and every child in Nigeria is protected from these diseases through adequate immunization.

I would like to take a moment to appreciate the minds behind this initiative and commend the facilitators who supported us throughout the process. Their work and dedication are truly commendable and worthy of emulation.

The most useful thing I learned in the Collaborative:
The root cause analysis sessions are the most important for me. It was amazing how I got to realize that the things I thought were the root causes were symptoms. The root cause analysis session helped me clarify this. I have employed this technique in other aspects of my work in public health and the charity that I run. Further more, the session highlighted the importance of community engagement and leveraging local networks to increase immunization coverage. Understanding the value of partnering with community leaders and healthcare workers at the grassroots level was particularly impactful. I have also commenced incorporating these insights into my work by organizing local immunization drives, ensuring that health communication is culturally sensitive, and directly addressing the misconceptions that impede vaccine uptake.

Story of impact on community health: During the Collaborative, we discussed successful case studies from other regions. I also was quite impressed by the ingenuity of other peers whose work I reviewed. Inspired by these stories, I have strengthened partnerships with local health authorities and other stakeholders to deepen immunization coverage, especially among under fives. This collaboration has resulted in a significant increase in childhood vaccination rates in my community, this would contribute to reducing the number of vaccine-preventable illnesses by over 30% in the near future.

Change in working style: Learning alongside diverse professionals in the Collaborative has broadened my perspective on teamwork and problem-solving. I now prioritize co-creation in project design, seeking input from various stakeholders early in the planning stages. This, for me, has fostered a more inclusive approach, resulting in stronger project buy-in and smoother implementation of my work in the community. I have been able to communicate my community’s health needs to relevant authorities with greater clarity and empathy.

Impact on job outlook: The Collaborative has shifted my view on public health work. I now see my role not just as a coordinator but as a facilitator of change who can empower communities to take ownership of their health outcomes. This perspective has fueled my ambition to pursue more leadership roles in health policy and advocacy.

Recommendation for joining the Collaborative: I would tell a friend that joining the Collaborative is a transformative experience. It provides an opportunity to learn from a network of passionate individuals, gain actionable strategies to address real-world challenges, and become part of a community dedicated to improving health for all. Shared learning and mutual support will amplify your impact and inspire you to develop innovative solutions.
I personally recommend the Collaborative to every health worker irrespective of their roles or level.
In addition, I strongly recommend that support funds be made available to participants for the implementation of solutions to identified challenges. In my opinion, This would help resolve more than 80% of the health issues in their their communities.

I liked the whole course structure how we broke into more smaller groups or pairs for more in depth analysis on how to develop root cause analysis the experience was splendid.

The collaborative was a very wonderful experience .I really enjoyed the process.the collaborators where very helpful at every stage of the program patiently listening and attending to every questions and challenges
During the collaboration I learnt a new magical word the 5WHYS ,this 5WHYS made it easy to get information from patient and help to in solution to a certain level.It is completely different from what I was taught in medical school which was using the 5Cs(complain, cause,course,care and complication).
In my everyday activities at work I use this 5WHYS to get to the root cause of any complain and in my own little space make an impact on the patient which could either be counselling or health education .
Another interesting thing is how we could work with each other at the comfort of our home in our tight schedule and still get the work done,The peer review was another mind blowing innovation where intellect from other parts of Nigeria view your work and make constructive input at it.it made me realise I can be a team player.
With the application of these things I learnt from the collaborative my work became easier and lot friendlier for me.i no longer find it frustrating to get information from patient
I will recommend people to join because it opens up opportunities to learn from other people ,it also help you to know that we face similar challenges everyday and when we work in unison we can get half of the problem if not all solved

I was motivated and encouraged to complete the whole process. The facilitators took their time to explain and guide on how things were to be done, patiently followed up till the end.

What makes my experience great is by getting the new method of finding ways to to know the actual cause of the problem,and because the collaborative respected everyone and gave us the best.

The most valuable lesson I have gained from this collaborative is the power of project planning with minimal financial resources. My work focuses on primary healthcare centers, where I am developing projects to combat infodemics and promote vaccine awareness. Through this collaborative, I have discovered that by pooling knowledge and experiences from diverse backgrounds, we can create impactful projects that empower community members to identify health misinformation, avoid its pitfalls, and embrace vaccination when necessary.
This collaborative has ignited a vibrant movement towards achieving the IA2030 Agenda. The enthusiasm and dedication of its participants are driving forces behind this progress. I encourage anyone who seeks to contribute to a more informed and healthier world to join this collaborative. Together, we can harness the collective wisdom of our community to address pressing health challenges and build a brighter future.

I am pleased to share my great experience in the ongoing Nigeria Collaborative for Immunization facilitated and supported by TGLF and partners including GAVI Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF as one of the principles of IA 2030. This is to control and possibly eliminate the high number of zero dose children in Nigeria as Nigeria contributes the highest proportion of zero dose children globally and to also build sustainable structure and system that guarantee no child is left behind. The most useful thing I learned and clearly understand in the collaborative is the fundamental role of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) in developing strategic Plan of Action, which is effective, efficient and responsive to the immunization challenge in particular and any other challenge in general. It helps to clearly define the cause of a challenge, chronic or acute and eases planning for result. The POA I developed for the challenge of good demand with poor immunization services supply in a community, as shown by the LGA Routine Immunization Officer's report, is being considered for resource support by immunization partners (Government, Community, WHO and other CBOs) in the Area Council (LGA) where the community is located. I am expending the use of RCA to tackling some other challenges not related to immunization in the organization and it serves.
In the ongoing collaborative, community members, immunization personnel at the PHC facility within the community’s catchment area, and the WHO LGA facilitator, I, representing REGIMA Community Care Foundation, have been able to build trust and enhance capacity to work effectively as a team. Together, we engage in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of identified immunization interventions.
Through this collaborative, I have gained a deeper understanding of the physical access challenges from the supply side of service delivery, particularly when the PHC facility is located far from the community (over 2 km) and when immunization personnel are not provided with transport logistics for outreach services. To address this gap, REGIMA Community Care Foundation has partnered with a registered private rural health clinic that will soon commence routine immunization services. This partnership will help bridge the gap while ongoing support for the PHC facility is being addressed through the approved Plan of Action (POA) informed by the Root Cause Analysis (RCA). The community and its neighbouring areas are pleased with this arrangement.
Although I have collaborated with others in the past, the knowledge and experience gained from conducting RCA and developing POA in this partnership have sharpened my ability to identify those affected by challenges, engage them, and involve them in the RCA process, POA development, and its implementation. This is a significant shift from the typical top-down approach, where planning is often done without community involvement and engagement only occurs at the implementation stage.
The Nigeria collaborative for immunization, which aligns perfectly with the principles of the IA2030, is the right path forward. With results-focused interventions, this approach will be sustainable. Currently, over 300 LGAs in Nigeria are part of the collaborative, and if we all remain committed to doing the right thing, the positive outcomes will naturally attract the remaining 400+ LGAs to join, as the country and immunization partners continue to support these efforts.

If a friend were to ask me why they should join the collaborative, I would explain the concept of the collaborative as outlined above. I would emphasize how it serves as a guiding principle for teamwork, enabling the identification of root causes and promoting ownership of immunization interventions to tackle challenges on both the demand and supply sides, within and beyond the immunization sector.
I would also share my own experience as an example of the central role and relevance of the collaborative in addressing immunization challenges effectively.

My collaborative experience was a good one because the response was timely and prompt although generally there is a little room for improvement in organization during group activities

I appreciate the effective communication from the team. This helped me to be on the lookout for the next engagement every time I received information from Charllote or Reda.

I look forward to subsequent participation in the collaborative courses.

Bringing healthcare workers together from the 36 States in Nigeria including the FCT is an Amazing experience for me to discuss issues affecting immunization and provide sustainable solutions to the identified problems.
What stood out for me was the teamwork from the Zoom group sessions and the peer review I got for my Root Cause Analysis (RCA). The reviews I got helped me shape my solutions into something achievable.

The collaborative is one of the most important program TGLF that has been helpful to me in my career and research within the community, Collaborative made me and my team to get a good result of zero dose and those with incomplete immunization. The peer Learning process also help me to get the best from my colleagues on how to tackle challenges, collaborative should be a continuous process.

What the learning foundation did in bringing health workers from all over Nigeria together for a particular goal and at the same time to learn from each other and with each other was unprecedented. I have never been part of something on this massive scale, and that’s impressive.
From the collaborative, I was able to learn how to look beyond to the obvious for the root cause of a problem especially vaccine uptake using the 5 whys of root cause analysis. This has helped me in my practice, not only for immunization challenges, but generally in tackling health issues.
Learning with other people made the whole experience great. Realizing some of the immunization challenges in my locality is not peculiar to us, but others have similar experiences and have other innovative ideas on tackling the challenges. Ideas which has helped me alot in tackling immunization challenges.
The collaborative has helped me in realizing that working together with others, sharing ideas and ways forward go a long way in tackling a problem, and that everyone has a role to play. Using this approach has helped expand the reach of my previously individual effort as I involved my colleagues in tackling the immunization challenges in my locality.
I will recommend the collaborative to a friend, and I have done so because of the experience I personally gained from it and the opportunities for networking.

The most useful thing I learnt in the collaborative is the significance of team work. I have applied it in my work place and this has led to significant progress in the quality of care given to patients.

Through the root cause analysis, the collaborative has made me realise the importance of identifying the root cause of a problem and how to approach it. Despite the fact that the root cause analysis was done in the context of immunization, I believe it can be applied largely in preventive medicine. Hence , i have applied this knowledge to advocacy, and creating awareness about health conditions in my community.

Learning in the foundation has encouraged me to always work as a team and have respect for colleagues.

In the future, I believe that the knowledge obtained from this collaborative will translate to achieving the SDG, particularly SDG 3, as it relates to immunization.

If a friend ask why they should join the collaborative, I would definitely make them understand that while joining the collaborative has a major role to play in immunization coverage and achieving the SDG, development of interpersonal and communication skill is another benefit.

The diverse ideas of over 21,000 health workers were something I have not experienced before.I now believe the African adage that says,when forces are pulled together,they can move a mountain.

Honestly from the beginning of this collaborative I felt it as a time wasting program but after I joined I found out that nothing is impossible if you apply some why's just like we did because nowadays I used to apply 5 or even more than that why's to solve many problems not only on immunization but everything.

This has helped me to simplify my work as a public health worker and I have shared my experiences with my colleagues and I also recommended the collaborative to so many of my colleagues and they showed great interest in it..
So I really don't know what to say but thank you so much for your support and I look forward to attend more of such events.
Thank you.