GANDI AJIBI YIGA
Public Health Surveillance Officer
Bauchi
Summary
WHO Local Government Area Facilitator coordinating surveillance, routine immunization, and outbreak response at district and ward level. Verifies data, monitors vaccination teams, and translates national health guidance into local action for underserved and hard-to-reach communities. Strengthens vaccine acceptance through engagement with community leaders, religious leaders, NGOs, and frontline health staff.
Overview
1
1
Language
19
19
Certifications
18
18
years of professional experience
9
9
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Contract -WHO Local Government Area Facilitator
World Health Organization - Nigeria
09.2025 - Current
- Oversee routine immunization (RI) and supplemental immunization activities (SIAs) to ensure high coverage rates.
- Oversaw routine immunization (RI) and supplemental immunization activities (SIAs), achieving high coverage rates through strategic planning and execution.
- Collaborate with local influencers, religious leaders, community leaders, and NGOs to increase vaccine acceptance.
- Ensure that Surveillance actors and vaccination teams follow national and international protocols, maintaining a high level of accountability.
- Collaborated with local influencers, religious leaders, community leaders, and NGOs, enhancing vaccine acceptance and community engagement.
- Support response efforts for outbreaks response coordination (e.g. Poliomyelitis and other Vaccine Preventable Diseases) and manage vaccine supplies.
- Supervise and verify surveillance and Immunization data collection at the district/ward levels, reporting on trends of diseases, Routine Immunization and Supplemental Immunization Activities (SIAs)non-compliance, and dropouts.
- Develop tailored strategies to reach nomadic, underserved, or minority populations in hard-to-reach areas
- Translate national health policies (e.g., UHC) into actionable local plans, including the use of local, data-driven evidence.
- Developed tailored strategies to reach nomadic, underserved, or minority populations in hard-to-reach areas, improving access to essential vaccinations.
- Act as key monitors in areas with limited access by national or international staff.
- Completed additional assigned tasks to support team objectives.
Bauchi State Epidemiologist
Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency
01.2015 - 01.2025
- Coordinated routine disease surveillance and responded to epidemic-prone diseases and public health interventions.
- Issued alert notices and establish threshold for epidemics
- Support LGAs to conduct Public Health Emergency Management and Rapid Response Committee meetings
- Participate in meetings of the Bauchi State Emirate Committee on Health (BASECOH), State Taskforce on Primary Health care whose aim is demand creation and resource mobilization .
- Conducted community dialogues and meetings to address immunization noncompliance and improve access to health services.
- Participated in planning and implementation of Flag off of health activities like introduction of new vaccine, Maternal, New born and Child Health week etc. to generate demand
- Participated in developing key messages for prevention and Control of diseases in Bauchi State
- Participated in Risk Communication Pillar Meetings during Response to outbreaks of Diseases in Bauchi State
- Supervised house-to-house health promotion and risk communication efforts during disease outbreaks to raise awareness and encourage community engagement.
- Participated in Live Radio and Television Programs to create awareness During disease outbreaks and other Health Programs in Bauchi State
- Participate in Developing Radio and Television Jingles to be aired during Response to outbreaks of Cholera, Lassa Fever, Yellow Fever, Cerebro Spinal Meningitis, Measles and COVID-19 in Bauchi State.
- Monitor performance (completeness of reports, timeliness of reports, and proper documentation
- Report writing at the end of every outbreak
- Monitoring of disease patterns and trends
- Coordinate Polio eradication certification for the State: 2019
Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer - Bauchi State
Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency
01.2009 - 01.2015
- Assisted State Epidemiologist in implementing disease surveillance strategies to enhance public health response
- Collate, analyze and interpret surveillance data on weekly and monthly bases from LGAs for decision making and onward transmission to the National (FMOH & NCDC) under the supervision of State Epidemiologist
- Support State Epidemiologist to coordinate monthly State Surveillance Review meetings
- Coordinated monthly State Surveillance Review meetings with State Epidemiologist, facilitating data-driven discussions for improved health outcomes
- Investigated suspected outbreaks across the State, collaborating with partners and LGA teams to ensure timely response and containment
- Assist the State Epidemiologist in discharging his/her duties
Education
Master of Public Health (MPH) - Epidemiology
Ahmadu Bello University Zaria
Zaria, Kaduna State04-2024
Bachelor of Science - Public Health
National Open University Of Nigeria
Bauchi Centre, Bauchi State 06.2016 - 12.2020
High School Diploma -
University Of Jos
Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria 12.1996 - 11.1998
High School Diploma -
School of Health Technology
Gombe 09.1990 - 08.1993
Skills
Disease surveillance
Outbreak investigation
Public health reporting
Data analysis
Monitoring and evaluation
Health promotion
Routine immunization
Supportive supervision
Mentoring and coaching
Facilitation skills
Affiliations
- Member, Bauchi State multi sectoral Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee
- Member, Bauchi State multi sectoral Public Health Emergency Response Team
- Member of the Abubakar Tafawa -Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi Pediatric Bacterial Meningitis (PBM)/ Rota Virus Surveillance Team
Certification
Introductory training on Geospatial Information System (QGIS) by NCDC and UK Health Security Agency, 13th – 18th Nvember,2023
Interests
Reading & Travelling
PUBLICATIONS / RESEARCH
- I. Cholera outbreak in some Communities in North –East Nigeria, 2019. Published 7th March,2023 BMC Public Health, No. 446 (2023) - Co – author
- II. Descriptive features of Lassa fever in Bauchi, North-East Nigeria – a retrospective review, Published Sep 17th 2018 Research Journal of Health Sciences/ Vol.6 No.3(2018)- Co -author
RECOGNITION
Commendation Letter for leading Bauchi State to be the best reporting State in Nigeria during 2015/2016 Lassa Fever outbreak Response
Timeline
Contract -WHO Local Government Area Facilitator
World Health Organization - Nigeria
09.2025 - Current
Bachelor of Science - Public Health
National Open University Of Nigeria
06.2016 - 12.2020
Bauchi State Epidemiologist
Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency
01.2015 - 01.2025
Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer - Bauchi State
Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency
01.2009 - 01.2015
High School Diploma -
University Of Jos
12.1996 - 11.1998
High School Diploma -
School of Health Technology
09.1990 - 08.1993
Master of Public Health (MPH) - Epidemiology
Ahmadu Bello University Zaria