Lagos – Nigeria may face scarcity of vaccines for childhood killer-diseases, unless the National Assembly approves the N8 billion budget line for routine immunisation and polio eradication.
Dr Aminu Magashi-Garba, Lead Project Director of the Routine Immunisation Sector of the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family, made the revelation at a news conference in Lagos on Friday.
The conference was to herald the 2016 Africa Vaccination Week with theme: “Close the Immunisation Gap’’.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2016 African Vaccination Week is slated for April 24 to April 30.
Magashi-Garba, who is also Coordinator of the Africa Health Budget Network, said: “the National Assembly during its review and passage of the 2016 budget slashed funding for routine immunisation and polio eradication.
“ President Muhammadu Buhari submitted a budget of eight billion naira for the funding of routine immunisation and polio eradication.
“But the budget that came back from the National Assembly was cut by about 50 per cent.
“There is need for the legislature to understand the intricacies of immunisation financing and support fulfillment of the government of Nigeria’s commitment to sustainable immunisation at all levels.’’
Magashi-Garba said that the reduction of the budget would have negative consequences.
“It means that we are going to have shortage of vaccine procurement this year and early next year if enough funds are not available for the vaccines to be procured completely.
“This also poses a problem because the funding was tied to two international commitments and it will also create a serious challenge in the sector in ensuring that all eligible children are immunised.
“Consequently, children in communities will not be able to have complete immunisation against measles, polio, whooping cough, pertussis, meningitis and other childhood killer diseases.
“Immunisation is the way to go to save lives of our children, reduce cost of health care and give the children the opportunity to live up to their potential,’’ Magashi-Garba said.
Mrs Ngozi Onuora, the Project Director of Civil Society – Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria, said: “we advocate that they should indeed, increase the money allotted for routine immunisation.
“Immunisation is just an aspect of health but it cuts across. Nigeria is already burdened with high level of infant mortality and under-five malnutrition.
“When a child is burdened by child killer diseases that are required to be controlled by routine vaccination and this child does not receive routine immunisation, then that child’s immune system is being repressed,’’ Onuora said.
Also Mr David Akpotor, Program Officer of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria said, “we are happy that Nigeria is now a polio-free country.
“By reducing the budget line for immunisation, we will be compromising on the commitments we have to sustain.
“The legislature needs to be aware of the implications of cutting the budget line for immunisation from eight billion naira to four billion naira, it will be like going back to status quo.’’
Akpotor said: “this immunisation is dependent on donor fundings too.
“There is a tripartite agreement that requires Nigeria to bring counterpart funding and if we do not bring this counterpart funding, the donors will not bring their own part of it.
“The donors, including the World Health Organisation and Bill Gates Foundation want the government to bring eight billion naira.
“They will then bring N16 billion each; so, without the eight billion naira, we cannot access this N32 billion funding for immunisation.
“We urge the legislature to revert to the eight billion naira that the president put in.
“This is because there will be a crisis in the health sector and a possible resurgence of polio in Nigeria if this is not reversed,’’ Akpotor said.
In her remarks, Ms Chioma Kanu, Programme Manager of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, urged the media to support the campaign to save the lives of children.
According to her, the media should emphasise issues on adequate funding, accountability and transparency in spending on routine immunization, which is key to preventing childhood deaths. (NAN)