By Abujah Racheal
Abuja, May 2, 2025 (NAN) The Federal Government has launched the Gavi Health System Strengthening Phase 3 (HSS-3) support programme aimed at improving immunization coverage and enhancing the delivery of Primary Health Care (PHC) services across the country.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, formally flagged off the programme on Friday in Abuja.
Represented by Dr Kamil Shoretire, Director & Head, Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics at the FMoH, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s health system through better coordination, increased domestic financing, and equitable access to life-saving vaccines, especially for vulnerable populations.
He said Nigeria’s health reforms were focused on saving lives, reducing financial hardship, and ensuring universal access to quality healthcare.
The minister acknowledged that Nigeria’s ongoing partnership with Gavi has been instrumental in supporting immunization efforts, from the COVID-19 response to the recent introduction of vaccines for HPV, malaria, and Meningitis A (MENA).
“The Government of Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to reducing maternal and child mortality and views investment in health as a dividend of democracy and a fundamental right of all citizens,” he said.
He noted that the adoption of the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) and the signing of a Health Compact in December 2023 had improved coordination, minimized resource wastage, and deepened stakeholder engagement in the health sector.
He further assured Gavi and other partners that donor investments would be matched with domestic resources and governed by transparent, accountable systems.
He commended the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and its partners for their role in implementing the HSS-3 support, expressing optimism about the programme’s impact on Nigeria’s health outcomes.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Muyi Aina, Executive Director of NPHCDA, said the HSS-3 initiative aligns with Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Aina described the programme as a unique and highly inclusive collaboration that builds on the successes of previous phases, including the recently concluded HSS-2.
“HSS-3 reflects a shared commitment to ensure no child is left unimmunized. It supports our Identify, Enumerate, and Vaccinate (IEV) strategy, which seeks to drastically reduce the number of zero-dose children and improve the quality of routine immunization,” he said.
He highlighted several key achievements recorded through ongoing immunization efforts.
He stated that over 1.7 million zero-dose children have been identified and vaccinated through initiatives like the Zero-Dose Reduction Project (ZDROP), Routine Immunization intensification, and the Big Catch-Up.
He also noted that 91 million children under the age of five have been reached during measles catch-up campaigns since 2018.
In addition, he said that the malaria vaccine has been introduced in Bayelsa and Kebbi States, reaching 105,000 children through integration into routine outreach services.
Furthermore, he said that 13.5 million girls aged 9 to 14 have been vaccinated against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said that the HPV vaccine has now been incorporated into the national routine immunization schedule at no cost to eligible girls.
He said that the rollout of vaccines for Mpox and COVID-19 to targeted populations, particularly healthcare workers and immunocompromised individuals in high-burden states, has further strengthened Nigeria’s frontline health security.
He attributed the success of these efforts to improvements in cold chain infrastructure, including the deployment of over 10,000 solar-powered refrigerators to PHC facilities and the establishment of national cold storage hubs in Lagos and Kano to complement the existing hub in Abuja.
He said that these milestones are the result of strong government leadership, increased domestic health financing, and steadfast support from development partners, especially Gavi.
“As we begin the implementation of HSS-3, citizens will notice more responsive, integrated, and inclusive health services.
“We urge all stakeholders to commit to making HSS-3 a success for the health of our nation,” he added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Gavi has announced a $191 million grant to boost Nigeria’s immunization coverage and reach 1.8 million zero-dose children by 2028.
The support will largely go to states and civil society groups. Gavi also pledged an additional $100 million for a nationwide measles-rubella campaign targeting over 100 million children in 2025.
