The federal government has received a 2-year grant of $9, 261(CAD) from Global Affairs Canada, through the World Health Organisation (WHO), to support the scale-up of COVID-19 Vaccine services delivery and strengthen health systems in Nigeria.
Executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this at the launch of the Canada Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity (CanGIVE) Grant, organized by the NPHCDA in partnership with Canada and the World Health Organisation (WHO), yesterday in Abuja.
He said the grant targets states with lower performance and aims to reach high-priority populations.
Faisal stated that the country has reached over 75 percent of the target population of individuals aged 18 and above with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
He added that the programme has been implemented in phases, ensuring that eligible populations are reached and no one is left behind.
However, the ED lamented that even though the country has made significant progress, several states have primary series coverage below 70 percent, and booster doses account for just over 20 percent of vaccinations.
He listed the states targeted for implementation as Ondo, Rivers, Kogi, Delta, Ebonyi, Lagos, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Benue, Ogun, Katsina, Taraba, Anambra, Kebbi, and Edo.
The ED stated that the grant, to be implemented through WHO, will also contribute to strengthening the health system, addressing service delivery inequities and gender disparities at the sub-national level.
The Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Jamie Chrisoff, said the project will also integrate COVID-19 into country health information systems, enhancing information management and disease surveillance data, including gender-responsive data.
“We look forward to seeing these efforts mobilised at the state, LGA and ward levels as a strengthened system will also contribute to greater pandemic preparedness, and more resilient health systems ahead of future health emergencies,” said.
In his address, the head of mission and representative of the World WHO in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, said the grant focuses on community engagement, within the context of addressing inequities in service delivery and disparities in gender at sub-national geographical locations.
He said the grant will enable the WHO Nigeria country office provide technical support to strengthen health systems specially for data management and surveillance linked to the Transforming African Surveillance Systems (TASS) Flagship initiative, increase COVID-19 vaccine demand generation and uptake in an integrated mode with routine immunization and other PHC services.
