What is the name of your organization?
Equitable Health Access Initiative (EHAI)
What is the name of your solution?
ADIS - Leaving No Child Behind
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
ADIS: An AI-powered digital immunization system enhancing vaccine access, and data-driven decision-making for improved child health in Nigeria
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Lagos, Nigeria
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
Nigeria
What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Despite the proven success of routine immunization as a cost-effective public health intervention, saving an estimated 2-3 million lives annually globally (WHO 2024), immunization coverage for under-5 children in Nigeria remains critically low. Penta-3 vaccine (which protects against five life-threatening diseases – Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Hepatitis-B and Haemophilus influenza type-b) has a coverage of only 57%, far below the Global Vaccine Action Plan goal of 90% (MICS 2021), putting millions of children at risk of these vaccine-preventable diseases. According to UNICEF and WHO, in 2022, Nigeria had over 2.3 million unimmunized children (16% of global total) and recorded 835,030 deaths among under-5 children, the highest globally.
Up to 41% of these deaths are attributable to vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly diarrheal diseases, pneumonia and meningitis (WHO 2022). This persistent problem stems from an interplay of critical barriers including - living in rural, remote and hard-to-reach areas; low maternal literacy and poor health awareness (benefits of immunization); cultural beliefs and misinformation; financial constraints; inequitable distribution of health services; and fear of side effects (Mahachi et al, 2022). The challenge we seek to address is the problem of zero-dose and under-immunization, driving high levels of morbidity and mortality among under-5 children in Nigeria.
What is your solution?
ADIS is built on a free, open-source platform accessible via web and mobile devices. It is an innovative platform designed to increase immunization uptake among under-5 children in Nigeria. The solution digitalized the National Routine Immunization Registers and Child Health Cards into an Electronic Immunization Register (EIR). It also integrated an electronic Antenatal Care (ANC) register, enabling immunization clinics to track pregnant women and seamlessly link newborns to the immunization program. It provides automated SMS notifications to caregivers reminding them of upcoming vaccinations, while healthcare workers receive automated line lists of children due for vaccination 24 hours in advance; automated generation of lists of children who miss appointments (defaulters) are shared via e-mail to community volunteers for tracking; Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) messages are shared with caregivers to promote immunization uptake and address misconceptions.
The solution also provides real-time, accurate data to policymakers for informed, evidence-based decision-making, timely interventions, resource allocation, and policy adjustments to improve immunization coverage and overall health outcomes for under-5 children in Nigeria. It is being successfully piloted in 12 PHCs and 1 tertiary hospital with over 20,000 under-5 children in Kwara State (June 2024 – March 2025).
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Nigeria, with an under-5 population of nearly 31 million (UNICEF, 2022), has very low immunization coverage, leaving millions of children at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. Shortage of Healthcare workers (HCWs), inefficient paper-based immunization records, and barriers that affect under-5 caregivers like distance, access to care, information gaps, and low literacy severely impede access to vital immunization services. Our solution leverages technology to address these barriers by digitalizing immunization records and improving immunization awareness through caregiver engagement, community participation, and real-time access to quality data for informed decision-making and optimized allocation of resources by policymakers.
ADIS streamlines HCW workflows through digital record-keeping, automated tasks, and improved communication, ultimately increasing efficiency and reducing workload. By automating processes and improving data management, ADIS mitigates the impact of acute HCW shortages on immunization service delivery, enabling existing staff to manage more patients effectively. The system employs scripted social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) messaging and automated SMS reminders for upcoming immunizations. It also facilitates defaulter tracking through community volunteers, thus effectively engaging caregivers and their children. The State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SPHCDA) has access to the ADIS dashboards that equip them with real-time information for informed and timely interventions and optimized resource allocation.
