By Sadiq S. Malami
The Expanded Inter-Agency Coordination Committee (ICC) meeting on immunization the has endorsed the recommendation for the biannual reporting commencing from 2026.
The three days ICC meetings were chaired by the Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, who emphasized data-driven performance, improved coordination, and shared responsibility and mutual accountability across government and partners.
Health Reporters Newspaper reports that the ICC meeting on immunization concluded with a major step toward strengthening Nigeria’s accountability ecosystem.
During his final reflections on Day 3, the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) Coordinator, Dr Aminu Magashi Garba, presented a collective recommendation on behalf of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs); AHBN, VNDC, WAVA and (AFENET).
Dr Magashi also recommended that the ICC formally endorse a biannual CSO accountability reporting mechanism to provide independent review, track commitments, progress and offer perspectives beyond government, Gavi and alliance and partners.
Through the courageous, bold and collaborative voice of the Coordinating Minister of Health chairing the meeting, the ICC endorsed the recommendation for the biannual reporting commencing from 2026.
Present at the meeting were the leadership of the National Primary Health Care Development Agnecy (NPHCDA), Federal Ministry of Health, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Bank, World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Gates Foundation, among others.
The CSOs were represented by Dr Magashi of AHBN, Madam Chika Offor of the Vaccine Network for Disease Control (VNDC), Dr Endie Waziri of the Afirca Epidemiology Field Network (AFENET), and Dr Chizoba Wonodi of WAVA.
Our correspondent report that central to the discussions, was the Mutual Accountability Framework (AF 3.0), made up of 14 indicators categorized into four key areas; Core Indicators, Programmatic Performance Indicators, Health Financing Indicators and Alliance Indicators.
