ABUJA – The Supervising Minister of Health, Dr Khaliru Alhassan, has described as false a media report on the purported indictment of Nigeria by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) for misuse of vaccine funds.
The minister said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Health, Mrs Ayotunde Adesugba.
The minister said the media publications were based on an incomplete and unilateral report of the Cash Programme Audit (CPA) commissioned by GAVI, which did not contain Nigeria’s response.
The statement denied the claim that GAVI withdrew its cash programme support to Nigeria as a result of its investigations and findings.
“The attention of the Supervising Minister of Health has been drawn to misleading and inaccurate reports published in some sections of the media on the purported `indictment’ of Nigeria by GAVI for alleged misuse of vaccine funds.
“It must be stated clearly that nothing could further from the truth as GAVI and Nigeria signed a letter of understanding on Oct. 17 aimed at further improving the working relationship between the two parties.’’
Alhassan said Nigeria remained committed to ensuring that immunisation activities were carried out effectively as buttressed by the commendation by WHO and other partners in containing the wild polio virus.
He urged the media to ensure that their reports on sensitive national issues such as immunisation were accurate and balanced.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that some media organisations recently published the alleged indictment of Nigeria by GAVI for misusing vaccine funds meant for routine immunisation by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). (NAN)
