GAVI extends vaccine support till 2028

Health minister Isaac Adewole has praised the Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative’s extending its support for immunisation in Nigeria till 2028.

The extension means GAVI will continue to part-fund immunisation for another 10 years.

Initial plans were to remove Nigeria from list of low-income countries eligible for the support after the 2013 rebasing of Nigeria’s economy removed it from low-income gross domestic product states.

The extension comes with additional $1 billion in funding, but requires Nigeria to increase its domestic funding of immunisation by 10% each year.

Adewole who met with GAVI representatives in Dakar, Senegal, said Nigeria had put aside funds ad “practical demonstration” of commitment to finance primary health care.

In the 2018 budget, federal government earmarked up to $180 to revitalise primary health care.

World Bank support for primary health care within the same period is put at $20 million, with a complimentary $2m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Adewole assured representatives at the meeting that government would ensure direct flow of resources to health facilities, put up necessary infrastructure, procure health commodities and guarantee incentives for the health workers.

Securing a GAVI extension required reforms in primary health care to stop data falsification, declare emergency in routine immunisation, increase immunisation coverage, and introduce new strategies to track immunisation of children against vaccine-preventable diseases nationwide.