President Bola Tinubu called on Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to work with potential Nigerian vaccine brands to make sure there are life-saving vaccines for children and adults.
Tinubu, speaking at an assembly with a GAVI delegation led by its executive director, Dr. Sania Nishtar, said that the partnership for local vaccine production has become mandatory due to the demanding situations faced by emerging countries, especially the COVID-19 pandemic and other infectious disease outbreaks. .
Tinubu said this Thursday in the House of Representatives through his special adviser for Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
“We have other competent and talented people who can make the mandatory contributions to vaccine production in Nigeria and the rest of Africa,” the president told the visiting CEO, who initiated visits to Nigeria on March 18, 2024, and began. Countries.
The President trusts GAVI’s CEO in Nigeria’s commitment to honour its matching contributions to the vaccine regimen by 2023.
He ordered the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, to meet with the Coordinating Minister of Economy and the Minister of Finance to ensure the release of the budget for the purchase of vaccines.
“We intend to contribute to the progress of our health care program and are committed to collaborating with GAVI,” said the president.
He expressed his administration’s commitment to ensuring that no child is excluded from vaccination against preventable childhood diseases.
“GAVI’s commitment to humanity is recognized around the world. Thank you for your impactful commitment to humanity and we applaud the partnership to save our young people from preventable diseases.
“As a nation, we are committed to their values and that no child deserves to be left unprotected,” he said.
President Tinubu highlighted the valuable attitude shared by GAVI’s Executive Director, who hails from the emerging country of Pakistan, and highlighted the importance of her experience in achieving health benefits for children.
Congratulating Dr. Nishtar on his stopover in Nigeria and the administration’s projects in the fitness sector, the President pledged to prioritize investments in the renewal of the fitness sector, highlighting the importance of coordination and collaboration between federal, state, and local governments.
In her speech, GAVI’s CEO praised the Nigerian government for its cutting-edge projects in the fitness sector, adding the expansion of budget allocations for fitness to 4. 6 in line with the penny and its commitment to offer HPV vaccines to adolescent girls, among others.
He expressed his willingness to work with the Federal Ministry of Health and Welfare to leverage policy and technical tools to improve fitness outcomes.
Dr. Nishtar announced GAVI’s commitment to provide $250 million in grants to Nigeria, as well as its commitment to addressing vaccine inequities in Africa through projects such as the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, which has set aside $1 billion for the sustainable expansion of vaccine production in Africa. Production base. production of vaccines.
“Nigeria is a very special country. It’s a very special country in Africa. It’s a special country in the world and it’s a very special country for us at GAVI. There is a saying within GAVI that says, ‘there is no good fortune for GAVI without good fortune in Nigeria,'” he said.
GAVI’s executive director also informed the president that its board of directors will meet in the coming weeks to make a decision on policy decisions that will have an effect on how Nigeria will receive the organization’s aid beyond 2028, and that its scale in the country is for discussions. with Nigerian health managers.
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