Since the year 2000, Nigeria has been receiving support from Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) through various financing channels towards ensuring effective immunisation service delivery. However, with the rebasing of the economy in 2014, Nigeria’s gross national income rose to $2950 and surpassed the eligibility threshold of $1580 for GAVI support. Simply put, Nigeria is no longer ranked among the low income countries and as such is considered capable of financing its vaccines and immunisation.
Between 2017 and 2021, the nation’s immunisation programmes will be at critical stages where urgent action will be required to ensure sustainable financing for vaccines, devices, cold chain infrastructure and other related aspects of the programme as only 25 per cent of the required sum, which is not more than $80 million annually, is given by the government. In 2016 alone, the sum of $210 million is expected from foreign donors while in 2017, the sum of $287 million will be needed.
Significant progress has been achieved in routine immunisation which has led to Nigeria’s de-listing from World Health Organisation (WHO’s) polio endemic countries and also will qualify her for an all-round polio de-listing in July 2017, if the country stays polio-free. However, without adequate funding for vaccines, the routine immunisation system will experience setbacks such as stock outs of vaccines which will ultimately lead to increased illnesses and/or deaths from vaccine preventable diseases.
Moreover, it is envisaged that annually, 7.5 million children are likely to lose access to life-saving vaccines if the Nigerian government does not come up with strategies to fund the vaccine debt which could rise to N40 billion by 2020. Full immunisation using available vaccines costs N4,000 per child. The emergence of new vaccines which include rotavirus, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, human papilloma vaccine and meningitis A, will push the cost to N14,000 per child, a huge increase from current $274 million to $435 million a year.
We strongly believe that in order not to return to the dark days and to attain the laudable and coveted feat of final de-listing of Nigeria from the polio endemic list, there must be a strong political will backed by increased appropriation for immunisations, co- funding for immunisation value by federal and state governments, as well as the private sector, and the production of vaccines locally.
If the required funds are not in the recently passed 2016 federal budget, the Federal Government should prioritise such in a supplementary appropriation bill and ensure that there is a domestic sustainable financing initiative, budget tracking and advocacy mechanisms, as well as best legislative practices for immunisation in Nigeria.
Government can also consider the establishment of an Immunisation or Vaccine Trust Fund as well as a global template for the implementation of immunisation or vaccine funds. A transparent and accountable system, backed by adequate legislation will bridge the funding gap. It is imperative that the government acts speedily and does the needful on this all important health issue. The authorities must consider the embarrassment of a recourse to the status quo ante, which is being classified, again, as a polio endemic country. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine.
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