From Our Correspondent
President Bola Tinubu has invited the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) to collaborate with Nigerian vaccine manufacturers towards ensuring equitable access to life-saving vaccines.
Tinubu sought the collaboration when a team of GAVI, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Dr Sania Nishtar, visited him at the State House in Abuja, on Thursday.
The President reiterated the imperative of the partnership on local vaccine production,given the challenges facing developing countries.
Such challenges, Tinubu said, are apparent, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious disease outbreaks.
The President noted that Nigeria has talented citizens ”capable of contributing to the production of vaccines for the country and the rest of Africa”.
He assured Nishtar of Nigeria’s commitment to fulfilling its outstanding counterpart contributions for routine vaccines for the year 2023.
”We intend to contribute to the development of our healthcare programme. And we are committed to partnering with GAVI,” Tinubu said.
He directed the two Coordinating Ministers of Health and Social Welfare and that of Economy and Finance to ensure the release of necessary funds for vaccine procurement.
According to the President, Nigeria will vaccinate all children against preventable childhood diseases.
Tinubu remarked that the world recognised GAVI’s commitment to humanity.
“Thank you for the impactful commitment to humanity. We welcome the collaboration to save our children from preventable diseases.
“As a nation, we are committed to your values. We believe that no child should be left unprotected,” the President said.
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He commended Nishtar for supporting Nigeria’s health-sector initiatives. He pledged to prioritise investments in health sector renewal.
Earlier, Nishtar commended the federal government’s innovative health-sector initiatives.
She added that her visit to the country was for discussions with Nigeria’s health managers.
She particularly praised the government for increasing budgetary allocations to health to 4.6 per cent and providing HPV vaccines for adolescent girls, among others.
The CEO said “GAVI is ready to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to leverage policy instruments and technical expertise to advance health outcomes”.
She announced GAVI’s $250 million grant support to Nigeria. Nishtar hinted on GAVI’s dedication to address vaccine inequity in Africa through initiatives like the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator.
According to her, GAVI had set aside $1 billion commitment for the initiative.
“It is to support the sustainable growth of Africa’s manufacturing base for vaccine production. ’Nigeria is a special country in Africa and for us in GAVI,’’ she said.
The GAVI CEO also informed the President that the GAVI Board would be meeting in the coming weeks.
“The meeting will take policy decisions to impact the way Nigeria receives support from GAVI, beyond 2028.”
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