Nigeria committed to financing its immunisation obligations – Buhari
By Muhammad Auwal
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari said that the country remains committed and focused on finding sustainable ways of financing her immunisation and vaccination obligations.
The president gave the assurance when he received in audience members of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) led by Dr Seth Berkley at the State House, Abuja.
He thanked GAVI for its over $1billion support to Nigeria since 2001, especially through the provision of vaccines to millions of people across the country.
He said: “We have experienced various fiscal and security challenges that have hindered our ability to fully finance the vaccines by 2021 as originally planned.
“I am, therefore, pleased that GAVI has extended its co-financing support period from 2021 to 2028, and has also committed over three billion dollars in new funding for vaccines, cold chain infrastructure and health system strengthening across the country.”
Buhari pledged that the Federal Government would continue to provide counterpart funds as well as strategies to gradually improve fiscal sustainability by 2028.
Earlier in his remarks, Berkley commended what he called “increase in national immunisation coverage between 2016 and now,” saying there was excellent inter-ministerial collaboration to achieve the milestone.
He urged state governments to invest in vaccination and immunisation, adding that poverty reduction must equally be a goal in the country.
