June 25, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has initiated discussions with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi) to secure additional supplies of cholera vaccines.
Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, in Abuja.
Idris noted that recognising the urgent need for vaccines, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has entered into discussions with Gavi.
“Gavi, a global health partnership, plays a pivotal role in improving access to vaccines in low-income countries. Through these negotiations, Nigeria aims to secure an emergency supply of cholera vaccines to curb the outbreak.
“At present, cholera vaccines are not stocked in our public facilities, though they are available in limited quantities in the private sector. But vaccines alone are not the only preventative measures we have at the moment; we must also ensure environmental cleanliness and proper hand hygiene,” he said.
Idris highlighted that globally, the demand for cholera vaccines has surged, leading to severe shortages.
“This limited supply has strained efforts to control outbreaks in endemic regions, including Nigeria,” he said, adding that the NCDC had intensified its public health campaigns, emphasising hygiene practices and the importance of clean water.
In response to the escalating cholera outbreak in 31 states of the federation, he said the NCDC had activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to coordinate national efforts to combat the disease.
Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Tuesday, approved an inter-ministerial committee to coordinate the cholera emergency operation centre operated by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Minister of Health, Muhammad Ali Pate, said the committee comprises representatives from the Federal Ministries of Health, Finance, Water Resources, Environment, Youth, Aviation and Education.
He said state governments are to ensure that Nigeria makes progress in reducing open defecation.
“The council then approved a cabinet committee comprising the Federal Ministries of Health, Finance, Water Resources, Environment, Youth, Aviation, and Education because some of our children will be returning to school.
“In addition to this, we will co-opt the state governments so that Nigeria makes progress in reducing open defecation because cholera is a developmental issue that requires a multi-sectoral approach.
“The President directed that a cabinet committee be set up to oversee what the emergency operation centre led by NCDC is doing, and for the resources to be provided complemented by the state governments.
“At the moment, about 31 states have recorded 1528 cases and 53 deaths in Nigeria,” he said.
