GAVI Boosts Immunisation With 433 Vehicles, Motorcycles In 8 States

GAVI, the vaccine alliance, has supported Nigeria with 13 Toyota Hilux vehicles and 420 motorcycles to strengthen Routine Immunization (RI) and primary health Care systems in eight states across the country.

The states are Bayelsa, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Zamfara and Taraba.

Executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, who spoke at the second Bi-annual Partners Review Meeting on Primary Health Care (PHC) MoU in Abuja, noted that primary health delivery is principally about reaching the underserved population in the communities, adding that the vehicles and motorcycls will strengthen COVID-19 and childhood immunisation in hard to reach communities.

Represented by the director, PHC Development, Dr Ngozi Nwosu, Shuaib said “The vehicles we are receiving today is yet another demonstration of true partnership and commitment of GAVI to the health and wellbeing of Nigerian people.”

The director-general, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Asishana Okauru, said “Unlike previous MoUs which were between partners and the federal government, this MoU is directly between GAVI and the eight states.

He noted that the purpose of the MoU was to assist the eight MoU states strengthen their Routine Immunization and PHC systems which will significantly contribute to the reduction of zero dose, mortality from vaccine preventable diseases and accelerate the attainment of Universal Health Coverage.

He informed that the eight states through the MOU will be receiving funding support of over $48 million between 2022 and 2024 from GAVI.

Okaura urged the states to ensure that the funds are judiciously utilised for the purposes they have been earmarked and to ensure that the procured items are properly maintained.

Meanwhile, GAVI’s director of High Impact Countries, Tokunbo Oshin, informed that Gavi was supporting Nigeria to graduate from its support by 2028.

“We decided to focus on the few states in Nigeria that have weak indicators of health system strengthening and to see how we can have more direct engagement with state levels and see how we can offer more direct supports to really ensure service can reach women and children and have more impacting results,” Tokunbo said.