April 05, (THEWILL) – President Bola Tinubu has called on the Vaccine Alliance, GAVI, to collaborate with potential Nigerian vaccine manufacturers to ensure equitable access to vaccines.
Receiving a delegation of GAVI, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Sania Nishtar, at the State House, Abuja, President Tinubu said partnership on local vaccine production has become necessary owing to the challenges faced by developing countries, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious disease outbreaks.
“We have capable and talented people who can make the necessary contributions to the production of vaccines in Nigeria and the rest of Africa,’’ the President told the visiting CEO, who assumed office on March 18, 2024, and has embarked on visits to some African countries.
President Tinubu assured the GAVI CEO of Nigeria’s commitment to fulfilling its outstanding counterpart contributions for routine vaccines for the year 2023.
He directed the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, to work with the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to ensure the release of necessary funds for vaccine procurement.
President Tinubu acknowledged the invaluable perspective shared by the GAVI CEO, who hails from Pakistan, and emphasised the importance of leveraging her experience for the benefit of children’s health.
The GAVI CEO congratulated the Nigerian government on its innovative health-sector initiatives, including increasing budgetary allocations to health to 4.6 percent and commitment to providing HPV vaccines for adolescent girls.
She expressed readiness to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to leverage policy instruments and technical expertise to advance health outcomes.
Dr. Nishtar announced GAVI’s commitment to providing a $250 million grant support to Nigeria, as well as its dedication to addressing vaccine inequity in Africa through initiatives like the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, which has earmarked $1 billion to support the sustainable growth of Africa’s manufacturing base for vaccine production.
The GAVI CEO informed the President that the GAVI Board would soon meet to decide on effective policy decisions on how Nigeria would receive support from the organisation.
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