The Vaccine Network for Disease Control (VNDC) has called for urgent reforms to streamline the immunisation budget release process. It stresses its vital role in addressing Nigeria's alarming number of zero-dose children, the highest globally.
Speaking at a capacity-building workshop on Media Advocacy for Vaccination Financing yesterday in Abuja, VNDC's head of programmes, Mrs Chika Nwankwo, highlighted the bureaucratic delays hindering immunisation efforts.
Nwankwo revealed that the current fund release process involves up to 27 steps, with the Ministry of Finance alone accounting for 20.
"This lengthy process causes unnecessary delays, preventing vaccines from reaching underserved areas where they are needed most. Without timely funding, we cannot reduce the number of zero-dose children," she stated.
While acknowledging some progress under the current administration, Nwankwo noted that only 25% of the 2024 immunisation budget had been released.
She emphasised the need for urgent action: "We must push for full and timely releases to ensure every Nigerian child is protected against preventable diseases."
She urged key stakeholders, particularly the finance and health ministries, to simplify the budget release process. "Our goal for 2024 is full and timely fund releases," she said, adding that achieving this would ensure every Nigerian child is protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
"The call for improved vaccination financing reflects the pressing need to close Nigeria's immunisation gaps and reduce the number of zero-dose children," Nwankwo added.
She reiterated VNDC's commitment to collaborating with the media and policymakers to ensure vaccines reach every child, regardless of location.
A public health expert and immunisation advocate, Ms. Rachael Abujah, further highlighted the severe impact of funding delays, particularly in hard-to-reach areas such as the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba State and riverine communities in Bayelsa State.
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"These delays directly exacerbate the zero-dose children crisis, as vaccines either arrive late or not at all," Abujah explained.
She underscored the media's crucial role in driving advocacy, holding policymakers accountable, and raising public awareness about immunisation challenges.
"If the media amplifies these issues, it can generate national and international attention that drives meaningful change," she concluded.
