Bukola Afeni
The Vaccine Network for Disease Control, led by the Chief Executive Officer, Chika Offor, is hosting a five-day Peer Learning and Capacity Building Workshop on Promoting Rotavirus Vaccine and PCV for Enhanced and Childhood Immunisation and Safety(PRECISE) Project in Guinea and South- Sudan.
Offor highlighted that her organisation is meant to promote knowledge sharing, and collaboration between CSOs and the government of Nigeria, Guinea and South Sudan, leveraging Nigeria’s succesful vaccine programs as a model for other countries.
“We want to share Nigeria’s successes and challenges in vaccine introduction with Guinea and South Sudan.
We have done it successfully, and we are excited to share our experiences with our sister countries.
We must use trusted messengers, language, and avenues to build key messages “.
She added that finance is critical in vaccine introduction among communities.
” Government need to have the right finance in ensuring that every individual has access to finance. We must ensure that vaccines are made available to every children, and also ensure that they receive quality treaent at facilities”.
In the same vein, the CEO noted that the worlshop is focused on behavioral change, contextual innovations, and partnership with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to support government efforts.
“We are very near to communities and they highly trust us based on past experiences on vaccine introduction. We are working together to address misinformation, disinformation, and the zero- dose vaccine gap”, she said.
The Deputy Chairman, Committee on Health Services, NASS, Hon. Usman Mohammed said Nigeria’s effort in immunization financing have yielded remarkable results, making it a model for other countries to follow.
Honorable Usman Mohammed, former Deputy Chairman of Healthcare Services, shared his insights on the country’s progress at a recent event.
“Nigeria’s experience in immunization financing is a testament to the power of political will and partnership. We’ve made significant progress in rolling out vaccines for millions of our children, and we’re proud to share our lessons with other countries,” said Honorable Usman Mohammed.
Nigeria’s population of over 200 million presents unique challenges, but the country has demonstrated its commitment to immunization financing through a sustainable model involving federal, state, and local governments.
“Vaccines are expensive, but with the support of international partners like Gavi, and our own domestic financing efforts, we’ve been able to make significant strides. Our financing model ensures that immunization programs are prioritized and funded,” added Honorable Usman Mohammed.
He said GAVI has supported Nigeria’s immunization effort, but requires countries to demonstrate political will and a clear plan for sustainable financing.
“They want to see political will, a clear plan, and a demonstrated commitment to immunization financing before providing funding. Nigeria has shown that commitment, and we are proud to support their efforts.
“Guinea and South Sudan have sent delegations to Nigeria to learn from its experience and replicate its successes.”
Honorable Usman said Nigeria is happy to share its lesson with other countries.
“Our progress is as a result of hard work, dedication, and partnership. We hope our experience will inspire others to prioritize immunization financing,” he said.
The Representative from FCT Primary Health Care Board, Okoli Nicholas said its a privilege for Nigeria to be sharing its success stories with other countries in
terms of Immunisation. He said the agency is glad to be part of the laudable development.
“We are also willing to learn from other countries and cascade the knowledge to other people”, he said.