WorldStage Newsonline— The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), says Nigeria will need $2.72b for procurement of vaccine for the next 10 years to attain 84% sustainable national immunization coverage in 2028.
Executive Director NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib disclosed this at a breakfast meeting with private sector and partners of immunization financing in Abuja, as Nigeria commemorates with other African countries to observe the African Vaccination Week.
He said over 4.3million children in Nigeria have been unimmunized.
Shuaib said new vaccine will be introduced in 2019-2021, adding that states and local government areas will have routine immunization to ensure every child get the vaccine they needed.
“We have to roll out a road map in financing vaccine because in the next two years, Nigeria will be graduating from GAVI support. Although talk is going on in that regards. If the GAVI board approves, then it is possible for an extension of 7 years.
According to him, Nigeria will require $1.95b to procure Routine Immunisation and SIA vaccines and devices from 2018 – 2028, while GAVI will support with $773.2m within the same period.
He said with the full transition from GAVI supported vaccine procurement in 2029, Nigeria will require at least $295m annually to continue the programme.
“Nigeria will require a total of $850.6m, with $121.9m for capital expenditure and $728.7m for recurrent expenditure, to implement the Nigeria’s Strategy for Immunization and PHC System Strengthening (NSIPSS).
“This includes cost of leadership, management and coordination, data management, demand creation, service delivery, supply chain management and Non-polio SIAs.
“We are doing more than strategizing. As part of the African vaccination week, we are putting our words into action; we are going out to the most vulnerable states when it comes to routine immunization and we are rolling out what is called Optimized Routine Immunization Strategy (ORIS)”, he said.
In his remark, Country Representative, World Health Organisation, Dr. Wondimagegnehu Alemu said, the declaration of state of emergency on routine immunization by NPHCDA has demonstrated that government was ready to adopt relevant strategies to reach a huge number of unvaccinated children.
Alemu said, “WHO and partners are encouraged by these positive developments and are ever ready to support the government of the Nigeria through the NPHCDA to improve the health of Nigerian children.
Alemu, explained that this year African Vaccination Week was happening at a time the Nigeria’s immunization landscape was witnessing some important changes.
“Nigeria’s accelerated transition from GAVI funding is under consideration at the Gavi Board and there is also an imminent ramp down in resources from the Global Polio”, he said.
Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire emphasized the significant of routine immunization the primary health care.
“Prevention they say is better than cure, but we have heard in clear prove that prevention is cheaper than cure and very cost effective. “Within the next ten years we have to prepare as a country to be on our own, ultimately we have to create the road map to get into that destination,” Ehanire stated.
The African vaccination week is an annual event celebrated every last week of April. The event is expected to run from 23rd to 29th, with the theme: ‘Vaccine Work, Be an Immunization Champion’.
