The Nigeria government has been urged to increase its support for vaccinations in Nigeria by adequately funding immunization and immediate inclusion of the Community Health Practitioners in the Midwives Service scheme of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
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The National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria, NACHPN, made the appeal in Abuja on Friday during a briefing by the NACPHN in collaboration with the dRPC’s Partnership for Advocacy in child and family health at Scale ( PACFaH@Scale) on the 2022 African Vaccination week
Addressing Journalists at the jointly hosted event with the dRPC, National President of the National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria, Kabir Yahaya Ahmed, said inclusion of the NACHPN members in the scheme would boost human resources capacities and so ensure that everyone in the hard to reach communities are vaccinated.
Ahmed, who commended the Nigerian government for increasing the funding for health noted that current allocation is still below the 2001 Abuja Declaration ,which is 15percent agreed by African leaders including Nigeria.
“We commend the Government of Nigeria for increasing the funding for health from N704b in 2021 to N835b in 2022 and for consistently fulfilling it’s counterpart fund commitment for GAVI immunization, but the total health budget stands at 4.88percent when compared to the total budget,this is still below the 2001 Abuja Declaration minimum of 15percent agreed by African leaders including Nigeria”
The Health Practitioners noted the significant impact of vaccinations through supporting the process of vaccinations in primary healthcare centers and door to door to increase uptake.
The Community Health Practitioners noted with concern the high rate of under five mortality despite the global decline of the scourge.
African Vaccination week is commemorated in the last week of April every year to highlight the importance of vaccines for all.
According to NACHPN, this year’s theme ; “Long life for all” allows us reflect on how vaccines have been saving Nigerian lives.”
The National President of NACHPN was represented by the Secretary General of the Association, Sariki Zakari.
