The
Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has raised the alarm over the declining
immunisation coverage in Nigeria, declaring that the recent report showing 33
percent was unacceptable.
The medical doctors also expressed worry that the poor immunisation coverage
might increase childhood deaths due to vaccine preventable diseases, such as
measles and polio among others, and called on stakeholders in the health sector
to intensify campaign on immunisation of children against childhood killer
diseases. NMA’s alarm came as the European Union, EU, through its Support to
Immunization Governance in Nigeria, EU-SIGN, initiative, weekend, boosted
routine immunization and primary healthcare services in the country with N3.8
billion. National President of the NMA, Dr Mike Ogirima, who was represented by
Lagos State chairman of the association, Dr Olumuyiwa Odusote, made the call at
the opening of the 2017 National Physicians’ Week in Lagos, said everybody,
including the three tiers of government, had the responsibility to enlighten
the public through aggressive campaigns on the need for regular immunisation of
children. Speaking in his capacity, the Lagos State Chairman, Dr Olumuyiwa
Odusote, urged the Federal Government to make acquisition of vaccines cheaper
and establish a production factory in the country.
Meanwhile, the European
Union, EU, through its Support to Immunization Governance in Nigeria, (EU-SIGN)
initiative, weekend boosted routine immunization and primary healthcare
services in the country with N3.8 billion. This is coming on the heels of a
recent report which scored Nigeria 33 percent in overall immunisation coverage.
Under the EU-SIGN project, the 23 recipient states, including the Federal
Capital Territory FCT, received vehicles, direct solar refrigerators as well as
construction and renovation of health facilities and cold stores. Already, N23
billion has been committed to EU-SIGN project, out of which N11.6 billion had
been committed to routine immunisation component, while 10.8 billion was
committed through the World Health Organisation, WHO, for the polio eradication
component. Commissioning the project in Abuja weekend, the Minister of State
for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, recalled that the immunization partnership with
EU project had taken Nigeria far in terms of routine immunization efficiency
and accountability.
“The earlier projects were implemented in 2002 and 2011
with 97.4 million Euros and 15.6 million Euros respectively. ‘’It took us
several steps forward in our quests to providing medical health and essential
services to all Nigerians in the present Universal Healthcare Agenda,’’ he
said. He said the country was committed to institutionalizing routine immunization
activities to ensure protections against vaccine preventable disease. In his
remarks, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Ketil Karlsen, who recalled
that the long standing relationship with Nigeria dated back to 2001 with a
commitment of N7.2 billion towards polio eradication, announced further plans
to deepen the relationship by helping Nigeria achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals, SDGs. He said the overall objective of EU-SIGN project was
to contribute to reducing sickness and death in children due to vaccine
preventable diseases by ensuring quality routine immunization and interrupting
the spread of poliomyelitis in Nigeria. He said: “The implementation of the
project has required close collaboration with the government through the
national Primary health care development Agency to enhance development of local
capacity. “This interventions being commissioned today are the result of many
months to years of hard work from project design to contracting and execution
which sometimes came with daunting challenges but which did not deter us
because we believe in Nigeria.” On his part, the Executive Director, NPHCDA,
Dr. Faisal Shuaib, recalled that the project was initially in six states but
was expanded to 16 states including FCT, and now 23 states. Appreciating the
EU, he drew the attention of the EU that the Nigeria health system was not yet
out of woods as a recent report of showed that Nigeria still have a long way to
go especially now the country is facing economic challenges.
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