Immunization: Nigeria gets $2.7b from GAVI’s transition

ABUJA – The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, today announced that the Global Alliance for Vaccine Immunisation (GAVI) has approved the sum of $2.7 billion for Nigeria’s immunization programme.

The minister who spoke at a media parley, disclosed that GAVI has committed $1.03 billion out of the proposed $2.7 billion while the Federal Government’s counterpart contribution is in excess of $1.9 billion.

“This will enable Nigeria provide vaccines for its children over the next ten years (2018-2028), making it the largest singular investment of any kind in the health sector since the history of the Primary Health Care System in Nigeria and heralds a new path to improving the health of Nigerians,” he said.

It would be recalled that, the Federal Government and GAVI entered into an agreement to strengthen immunisation system across the country. During this period, GAVI supported the country with the introduction of life saving vaccines, which include PCV, IPV and Pentavalent vaccines, and provided additional support for non-vaccine operations.

This amounted to a total contribution of $732,130,326 and as a result, has saved over 2 million lives in the last 17 years.

Adewole stressed that with the approval by GAVI, Nigeria stands to save the lives of additional 1,539,651 under-one children by 2028 by driving immunisation rates up to 85% in all states and improving the supply chain; which includes rebuilding financial credibility and trust, transforming the organisation structure of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Nigeria, consolidating gains in polio eradication and revitalising the Primary Health Care System.

“This comes at an auspicious time to complement government’s efforts to revitalise the primary health care system through the provision of the minimum package of care using the basic health care provision fund, all geared towards strengthening the PHC system in Nigeria.