Bukola Afeni
Immunization is a cornerstone of public health, protecting individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases.
However, sustaining immunization efforts requires a robust primary healthcare system that can support long-term vaccine financing.
In Nigeria, empowering advocacy and partnerships at the subnational level is crucial to ensuring the success of immunization programs.
Primary health care is the foundation of a strong health system, providing essential health services to individuals and communities.
A well-functioning primary healthcare system will aid in increasing access to immunization services, improve health outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs.
By investing in primary health care, governments will ensure that the citizen have access to essential health care services, including immunization.
Participants at a two-day program about the PREACH Project (Partnership to Reach Zero-Dose Children), an advocacy initiative led by the Vaccine Network For Disease Control (VNDC) funded by GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, through the Global Health Advocacy Initiative (GHAI), emphasized the importance of sustaining immunization through a strong primary health care system.
The State Immunization Officer for Ekiti State, Dr. Ogundola Omolabake, said the state government is committed to improving healthcare outcomes and has set a remarkable precedent for other states to follow.
According to her, the state is making significant strides to reduce under-5 mortality, and a token is given to support the immunization of each child.
She further added that the state government, through the ULEHRawa initiative, brought immense relief to residents, particularly pregnant women and children under five, who are most vulnerable to disease.
“We have also made significant strides in combating malaria, providing free treatment to those who test positive. This has enabled a large number of the populace to have access to free healthcare services. Through behavioural communication, we provide information to community residents on the importance of immunization.”
In the same vein, she added that Ekiti State’s innovative healthcare initiative has taken a significant leap, providing free cesarean sections for registered policyholders under the state’s health insurance scheme.
“The Basic Healthcare Provision Fund has ensured that expectant mothers who are registered under the scheme can access life-saving procedures without financial burden. However, those who are not registered will have to bear the cost. In primary healthcare facilities, cases requiring cesarean sections are typically referred to secondary or tertiary facilities, but registered enrollees are given a code to facilitate prompt attention. This groundbreaking project, driven by the state government, goes beyond cesarean sections,” she said.
Dr Biobele from Budgit said the Nigerian government allocated a total of 231.73 billion for immunization, malaria vaccination, and vaccine tracking systems in the 2025 budget.
“This development is quite commendable. It includes 231.78 billion Naira specifically allocated to immunization. Additionally, a larger sum of 514 billion has been proposed for primary health care and immunization in the 2025 budget.
“The health sector as a whole is allocated 2.48 trillion in the 2025 budget, which is a major landmark in the health sector.”
She further added that the Federal Government has prioritized immunization with robust domestic allocation, which shows a renewed commitment to public health resilience.
“To ensure successful domestic resource mobilization, we need an efficient health system that is broad-based, fair, and easy to comply with. All institutions must be transparent and accountable in their public financial management, which will be helpful to the health sector as a whole.”
She also encouraged stakeholders in the health sector to engage in robust public engagement built through trust and willingness to contribute over a long period.
Professor Emmanuel Alhassan from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator said it is essential for stakeholders in the health sector to work together and collaborate to achieve greater results in terms of immunization.
He emphasized the need for gatekeepers to work together to improve issues regarding immunization at the state level. “It is crucial to identify individuals who can influence the decision-making process in the health sector to improve efforts towards enhancing immunization in the country.”
He also highlighted that the sustainability of immunization projects is key at the state level and reiterated the need to work with state governors to improve their commitment to immunization.
“Sustainability is very important in achieving great results. We have to look for existing mechanisms that are working in different states and replicate them for states that are not doing well. We also have to ensure that advocacy efforts are geared towards improving immunization in those states that are lagging.”
