Below is an excerpt of the address given by the Chairman, National Immunization Financing Task Team (NIFT), Dr Ben Anyene, at the pre-event press conference for the Anglophone Africa peer review workshop on sustainable immunization financing, Abuja – 12th April, 2016.
Let me start by informing us that the Sustainable Immunization Financing (SIF) peer review workshop in Nairobi, Kenya in October 2015 found among other challenges, a gap in vaccine financing among Anglophone countries, a situation that required concerted efforts by all for to solve. This was further highlighted by presentations at the December 15, 2015 Local Vaccine Roundtable (LVP) in Nigeria, the 2012 vaccine summit and the GAVI recommendation, on mitigating the effects of transition of Nigeria out of GAVI support for vaccines procurement between 2017 and 2021.
Since the year 2000, Nigeria and other developing countries have received tremendous support from GAVI through various financing windows towards ensuring effective immunization service delivery in the country. However, following the re-basing of the economy, Nigeria’s gross national income (GNI) per capita rose to US$2950 and surpassed the eligibility of US$1580 for GAVI support.
In Nigerian 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.
Gentlemen of the press, the government of these countries have made significant progress in Routine Immunization (RI) programme which led to the interruption of polio virus and delisting from WHO’s polio endemic countries. Nigeria will qualify for delisting in 2017 if the country stays polio free. However, without adequate funding for vaccines the RI system will experience setbacks such as stock outs of vaccines that will ultimately lead to increased illness and or deaths from vaccine preventable diseases.
The Anglophone Africa Peer Review Workshop on Sustainable Immunization Financing holding from April 19th to 21st, aims to develop a lasting solution for vaccines and immunization financing in Nigeria and the sub-region.
The Sabin Vaccine Institute’s Sustainable Immunization Financing Programme has been working with a growing number of countries on a range of activities to ensure sustainable immunization financing. These activities include co-hosting of this Anglophone Africa Peer Review Workshop on Sustainable Immunization Financing (SIF), briefings on immunization financing and legislation, peer exchanges between countries and support to the public institutions as they develop particular innovations, among other things.
It is in line with bridging the gap in Sustainable Immunization Financing that Nigeria, with support from SABIN Vaccine Institute Washington DC, is hosting the Anglophone African countries to this peer review meeting from 19th – 21st April, 2016. The venue of the Workshop is Sheraton Hotel, Abuja. 2016 is therefore critical to the This Anglophone Peer Review Exchange meeting shall have in attendance Legislators and top health officials from Anglophone African countries; legislatorsfrom Nigeria National Assembly; State Governors; State Commissioners for Health and Finance; members of NIFT; the private sector; development partners; staff of federal ministry of Health MDAs, Finance and Science & Technology; other relevant ministries, ALGON members of the media and other stakeholders. Objectives of the meeting The 3-day meeting is expected to deliberate upon and finalize a framework necessary for setting up an Immunization Trust Fund. The specific Objectives of the meeting shall seek to achieve the following:
To identify, share, and cross-evaluate best domestic sustainable financing initiatives, budget tracking and advocacy mechanisms and legislative practices for immunization in Nigeria vis-à-vis other participating countries.
To develop a set of recommendations for achieving Nigeria Immunization Trust Fund.
To develop a global template for implementing immunization trust funds, for adoption by participating Countries. Expected Outcome of the Meeting It is expected that at the end of the 3-day meeting that we would have developed:
Best strategy for domestic sustainable financing, budget tracking, advocacy, and legislative practices for immunization in Nigeria would have been developed.
Set of recommendations for the implementation of Nigeria immunization trust fund (NITF) would have been developed
Acceptable template for adoption by participating Countries would also
have been developed The above stated outcomes are therefore expected to launch Nigeria and participating Anglophone countries towards the final advocacy for the legislation and establishment of Immunization Trust Fund. Nigeria Immunization Financing Task Team (NIFT) and Sustainable Immunization Financing in Nigeria
The National Immunization Financing Task Team (NIFT), chaired by my humble self and with membership from FMOH, FMOS&T, NPHCDA, NABDA, IVAC, HERFON, CHR, CHAI, HFN, Vaccine Network, BMGF, May&Baker, Pfizer, GE health and many others, have been working assiduously to ensure the success of this forthcoming peer exchange workshop slated to hold from 19th to 21st April, 2015 at Sheraton Hotels, Abuja. This is part of our larger mandate, communicated to us upon inauguration in March, 2015, to roll out strategies and work plan for sustainable immunization financing in Nigeria. Working through 4 technical groups – Evidence generation, advocacy, fund raising and Local Vaccine production subcommittees, the task team has articulated these solutions to ensure sustainable immunization financing in Nigeria:
Increased budgetary allocation and appropriation for immunizations
Co-funding for the immunization value by Federal Government, State
Governments and the Private Sector
Setting up and institutionalization of National Immunization Trust Fund
Local Vaccine Production
NIFT has observed unconfirmed media report of exclusion of funds for vaccines in the recently passed 2016 Federal budget. If true, we demand that adequate funds for vaccines and immunization in general, be included in the 2016 appropriation act before assent.
Vaccination protects, saves lives and is very cost effective. We applaud recent gains in immunization in Nigeria, due to stronger political will by the government, support by partners, increased accountability, better community engagement and use of innovative strategies, that led to increased national immunization coverage and the interruption of polio virus transmission and de-listing of Nigeria from WHO’s polo endemic countries in 2015. We are very optimistic that with the already articulated polio end game strategy, we would eradicate polio in Nigeria by next year (2017). We also note, with admiration, how the polio infrastructure was successfully utilised in controlling the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria in 2014, this further shows the far-reaching effects of a strengthened immunization system on the health system of a country if appropriately deployed. Consequently, the government should ensure that immunization is adequately funded and its appropriation adequately released to ensure timely procurement to meet our large birth cohort of about 7.5million children annually.
National Immunization Trust Fund (NITF) The trust fund when established is expected to serve as an independent body that will advocate, coordinate and mobilize funds for routine and supplemental immunizations in the country for 2016 and beyond. The Fund is expected to draw contributions from the government, organised private sector, partners and willing Nigerians. The Nigeria National Health Act 2014 makes provision for vaccines in its Basic Health Care 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 contribution for vaccines co-payment with Gavi for 2017 is about N1b 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.
Gentlemen of the press, while extending invitation to you for the forthcoming Anglophone Peer Review workshop, I implore you to inform the public about the importance of this workshop, the need for a national immunization trust fund, and then continue to partner with us in advocacy for sustainable immunization financing in Nigeria. At the end, we would ensure that all Nigerians, especially the poor and unreached, will have equitable access to immunization that is adequately and sustainably financed.
Source: Development Diaries