
Nigeria faces an annual funding gap of $200m for immunization, Director General of the Budget Office, Dr. Tanimu Yakubu, revealed today.
Speaking at the Multi-Stakeholders Technical Workshop for the Optimization of Immunization Financing in Nigeria, organized by the Vaccine Network for Disease Control in partnership with GAVI and the Global Health Advocacy Initiative, Yakubu emphasized the need for increased public sector funding to address the financial gaps in immunization.
“Nigeria faces an annual funding gap of $200m out of the required $580m for immunization. However, considering the public sector’s contribution of only $150m, the actual funding gap is more significant,” Yakubu said.
He noted that without international donors like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, the gap would be $430m, highlighting the country’s reliance on external aid.
The DG Budget Office also proposed legislation to mandate the public sector to achieve self-sufficiency in vaccine production, storage, and distribution logistics, aligning with the current administration’s goals of import substitution, medical industrialization, and general industrialization.
“By taking these steps, we can ensure sustainable immunization financing and protect our population from future pandemics,” he stressed.
The Chairman of the 9th Senate Committee on Health, Sen. Ibrahim Oloriegbe, has noted the importance of prioritizing immunization in Nigeria’s budget allocation.
Speaking at the event, Oloriegbe noted that “Immunization is not only a health issue but also an economic and security issue. Investing in immunization can save lives, reduce healthcare costs, and increase productivity.”
“Legislators have a critical role to play in ensuring that immunization receives adequate funding. We must work together to prioritize immunization and make it a national priority,” Oloriegbe said.
“Let’s work together to make immunization a national priority and ensure that our citizens receive the necessary vaccines to prevent diseases,” Oloriegbe added.
Also speaking at the event, the Nigeria Coordinator for the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Dr Emmanuel Hassan, stated that Nigeria is facing a critical vaccine immunization financing crisis, with outstanding obligations from 2023 still unpaid and the 2024 payment due in June yet to be made.
“Health is a crucial aspect of our nation’s wealth, and immunization is a key pathway to enhancing the health and well-being of all Nigerians,” Dr Hassan said.
The Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Primary Health Care and Disease Control, Sen. Tony Nwoye, also called on the federal government to release counterpart funding for immunization programmes to address the inadequate funding hindering Nigeria’s fight against vaccine-preventable diseases.
Speaking at the Multistakeholder Technical Workshop for Optimization of Immunization Financing in Nigeria, Sen. Nwoye emphasized the importance of immunization in saving millions of lives annually and urged stakeholders to work together to bridge funding gaps, enhance immunization coverage, strengthen accountability, and ensure sustainable financing.
The workshop, themed “Closing the Immunization Financing Gap: Investing in a Healthier Future for Nigeria,” brought together stakeholders from the government, international organizations, and the private sector to discuss strategies for optimizing immunization financing in Nigeria.
PUNCH