“Nigeria may not have enough money for immunization next year, if the government does not increase the funding for it in the budget,” the country leader of International Vaccine Access Centre, Dr Chizoba Wonodi, has said.

Wonodi who said this during a ministerial conference on immunisation in Africa held in Abuja said, this year only N4 billion was budgeted for immunisation.

“Next year we need N43 billion, of which GAVI (Global Vaccine Alliance) is going to pay part. The federal government needs to come up with N12 billion next year and if government does not increase its budget allocation, there will be problem.  We may not have immunization go round,” Wonodi said.

She said all hands must be on deck as federal government cannot do it alone, hence, state government should start contributing to procurement of vaccines.

She also called for the setting up National Immunization Funds where both government and private sector can contribute to. 

Dr Yinka Adekugbe of Save the Children also called on government to commit funds and accelerate sustainable immunisation programme in Nigeria.

From 2017, the support from GAVI will start declining and stop altogether in 2022. Beyond that, Nigeria is expected to begin solely funding immunisation programme.