Experts have called on Federal Government to establish National Immunization Trust Fund, NITF, a platform they claimed would boost local funding for immunization programmes in the country. According to them, the call became imperative following dwindling health-related aids to the nation from international donors.
This is even as the experts expressed sadness with alleged slash in budget for immunization by the National Assembly in the 2016 budget which currently awaits President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent.
They urged the lawmakers to reverse their alleged action on the immunization budget. Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja recently, ahead of Anglophone Africa Peer Review Workshop on Sustainable Immunization Financing which holds in the nation’s capital this week, the experts called for sustainable immunization financing in the country.
Chairman, National Immunization Financing Task Team, NIFT, Dr. Ben Anyene, who spoke on behalf of the group said: “The Nigeria National Health Act 2014 makes provision for vaccines in its basic healthcare provision fund ,BHCPF, mandatory, but the fund to be available from this will still be inadequate when added to the traditional budgetary appropriation for immunization, bearing in mind that the government of Nigeria’s contribution for vaccines co-payment with GAVI for 2017 is about N1 billion, and would rise to about N40 billion by 2020. It is expected that in addition to other solutions earlier mentioned, a transparent and accountable national immunization trust fund, backed up with adequate legislation will bridge this funding gap for immunization in Nigeria.” He noted that global support for the country’s immunization campaign was decreasing because of the rebasing of the economy.
“In Nigeria and other Anglophone countries, the immunization programme, like other health activities, is currently facing a large funding gap. With Nigeria’s transition out of GAVI support, this has further placed the country’s immunization programme at a critical stage where urgent action is needed to ensure sustainable financing for vaccines, devices, cold chain infrastructure and other related aspects of the immunization programme.
Government in Nigeria’s total immunization financing commitment is about 25% and the remaining 75% is paid for from eternal sources.” According to him, the body would advocate, coordinate and mobilize funds for routine and supplementary immunizations in the country for 2016 and beyond, while it would draw contributions from government, private sector, partners and willing citizens.
By: Marcus Fatunmole
National Mirror News
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