The Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF) has highlighted the importance of improving primary healthcare infrastructure, saying it will aid in achieving better vaccine programs.
The Vice-Chairman of NSSF, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, made the assertion his address of welcome during a webinar on expanding access to vaccines in Nigeria and building vaccine confidence.
The webinar was hosted in collaboration with the Nigeria Health Watch (NHW), the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NSSF, Dr Fejiro Chinwe-Nwoko, said in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.
“If the Primary health infrastructure exists at the level we want it to, then the cost of vaccines and its administration across the country and across demographics will reduce.” Aig-Imoukhuede was quoted as saying.
Chinwe-Nwoko said that the webinar was part of NSSF’s objectives to align key stakeholders on a collaborative and forward-thinking approach to expanding and scaling access to vaccines in Nigeria.
According to her, the webinar is the first of its four-part webinar series on “Expanding access to vaccines in Nigeria and building community confidence in vaccines”.
The CEO said that the webinar discussed the current landscape of the immunization programme in the country.
She said that it also highlighted what has worked and what has not worked; and advocated for effective campaigns through strengthened Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP), and effective use of data for improved efficiency and accountability.
She said that it was necessary to host the webinar series to raise awareness on the poor immunization coverage in Nigeria and the increased number of zero dose children which according to the WHO and UNICEF is 3.1 million children.
She noted that the outcome was greatly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“NSSF looks to support the Nigerian government in its vaccination plans by bringing together private and public sector partnerships to bridge the gaps in areas such as funding and technical expertise in health sector leadership and immunization programs in the country.”Chinye-Nwoko said.
She said that speakers at a panel discussion at the webinar agreed that there was the need for and the use of quality data in the expansion of vaccination campaigns across the country.
The CEO, BioVentures for Global Health (BVGH), Jennifer Dent, said that one key challenge to implementing and sustaining vaccination was finding the right partners because it would require local priorities to drive them.
She said that there was the need to build relationships, test ideas through pilots, and work with local stakeholders including grassroot, state, and national level stakeholders.
Also, Dr Caroline Jehu-Appiah- Director, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Nigeria, shared insights on how immunization was failing in Nigeria, despite being cost effective.
“Some of the key challenges include the tight fiscal space, the increasing cost of vaccines, poor population census, poor coverage of outbreaks, brain drain in the health sector, weak immunization demand, unutilized or poor data quality, ” Jehu-Appiah said.
Dr Abdullahi Garba, Director of Statistics, National Primary Health Care Development Agency(NPHCDA) noted that vaccine manufacturing was expensive and complex locally.
He, however, said that the government’s partnerships with countries such as India and Indonesia to support vaccine manufacturing would help bring down the costs.
Mr Yusuf Yusufari, Senior Programs Officer (SPO), Vaccine Delivery in the Nigeria Country Office of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, emphasized the need to have an end-to-end overview “(from manufacturer to the last man.)”
He commended the NPHCDA immunization program that has reduced the vaccine stock out and has led to improved vaccine delivery in some states.
NSSF said that the webinar had over 500 registrants and 234 attendees.
The fund added that the discussion on expanding access to vaccines in Nigeria continues in upcoming webinars during the year.
