Reps seek trust fund for immunisation

chika ebuzor

November 3, 2017 4:47 AM

The Federal Ministry of Health and its relevant Agencies were further advised by the House, to spearhead advocacy and sensitization on immunisation.

The House of Representatives on Thursday urged the Executive to increase and sustain domestic investments and funding allocations for immunisation from 0.2 per cent to one per cent of the national budget.

This followed a motion by Rep. Muhammad Usman (Kaduna-APC) on the “Need to Address Declining Immunization Coverage in Nigeria.

Moving the motion, Usman noted that the Multi-Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS)and National Immunisation Coverage Survey (NICS) Report of 2016/2017 revealed a National Immunization Coverage rate of 33 per cent.

He added that only three per cent of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) attained 80 per cent coverage.

The lawmaker disclosed that this was contrary to the global standard of 90 per cent as-an indicator-for- fully immunised according to the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) or the African standard of 74 per cent.

He further said the report revealed that 77 per cent of the assessed children did not receive all the life-saving vaccines while 37 per cent received some, 40 per cent did not receive any vaccines at all from the Routine Immunisation Programme and were classified as missed children.

According to Usman, only 1 in 4 children in the rural areas was fully immunized while 1 in 10 children of the poorest families received full immunisation.

“Funding for immunisation activities, including vaccine procurement and value chain, would have suffered severe shortages with its grim consequences had International Development Partners not come to the aid of Nigeria.

“With the expected complete pull out of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) from Nigeria in 2021, alternative and sustainable financing options must be put in place to forestall any catastrophe in immunisation financing in the future.”

The House urged government to implement the one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for financing the Basic Health Care Provision Fund in the 2018 budget as enjoined by the National Health Act.

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It also called for the adoption of innovative financing mechanism by establishing a National Immunisation Trust Fund.

The Federal Ministry of Health and its relevant Agencies were further advised by the House, to spearhead advocacy and sensitization on immunisation uptake and co-funding for Immunisation at all levels of government.

House therefore, mandated its Committee on Healthcare Services to ensure implementation and report back within eight weeks for further legislative action.

The motion was unanimously adopted by members when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara.

chika ebuzor