Bukola Afeni
The Chief Executive Officer of Vaccine Network For Disease Control, Chika Offor, has called for an increase in resource mobilization by state and federal governments for primary healthcare centers to ensure effective vaccine financing in Nigeria.
She stated this at a two-day Peer Learning Workshop in Abuja.
Offor emphasized the need to strengthen Nigeria’s primary healthcare system to improve immunization activities both at the sub-national and federal levels.
The theme of the program is Peer Learning on Domestic Resource Mobilization: Lessons from Ekiti State.
She also urged the government to employ the right personnel and ensure adequate remuneration for those at the Primary Health Care centers at the state level.
In the same vein, she added that the employment of the right personnel to efficiently manage each Primary Health Care center will go a long way in revamping the health sector.
“Health workers need to be paid the right remuneration; they will give their best. The government needs to realize that not all individuals can pay for out-of-pocket services for health.”
She urged the government to address the issue, emphasizing the need for functional primary healthcare centers to ensure accessible healthcare for all.
The Deputy Director Primary Health Care Services Jigawa State, Mohammed Abdullahi noted that the state is enhancing family healthcare management by tracking newborns in communities and refining data for informed follow-ups at health facilities.
“We have established a robust mechanism to track daily births, enabling effective data management. Health personnel collect detailed information on mothers and children throughout the year, ensuring thorough monitoring and evaluation.”
The Vaccine Network For Disease Control Officer in Kano State, Sanusi Hashimu said Kano State Government has allocated a budget line for immunization.
“With support from partners like the World Health Organization, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Core Group, and the African Budget Network. The state is making progress in terms of immunization. The partners collaborate to enhance immunization efforts at the community level.”
He said the Kano State Government, comprising 44 local governments, has demonstrated its commitment to immunization by providing funding for primary healthcare.
“The state government invests the sum of N18.5 million monthly to bolster immunization initiatives to enhance the health sector.”
The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for VNDC, James Obute, while giving an overview of the PREACH Project, said the initiative is basically to strengthen the immunization system in Gombe, Adamawa, Jigawa, Bauchi, and Kano State.
According to him, the PREACH Project (Partnership to Reach Zero-Dose Children) is an advocacy initiative led by the Vaccine Network For Disease Control (VNDC), funded by GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, through the Global Health Advocacy Initiative.
He added that the core objective of the project is to increase domestic resource mobilization for immunization.
“The project will ensure the efficient allocation, use, and accountability of funds. It will also promote timely release of vaccine financing, including GAVI co-financing obligations,” he said.
