Nigeria’s high infant and maternal mortality rates have been linked to a significant number of children who have never received a single vaccine, according to the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health Care Services, Amos Magaji. Speaking at the Immunisation Financing Champions Summit in Abuja, Magaji emphasized the need to strengthen primary healthcare services to address this issue. He noted that many states lack adequate resources, workforce, and funding, resulting in “zero-dose” cases where children have not received any routine immunization.

The summit, which brought together health committee chairpersons from state Houses of Assembly, aimed to ensure that national efforts are replicated at the state level, where primary healthcare oversight is more frequent. Magaji stressed that the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, created to support primary health centers, requires complementary funding and monitoring from states and local governments to be effective. He highlighted the importance of collaboration between the National Assembly and state legislatures to ensure proper utilization of funds allocated for primary healthcare.

According to Magaji, several states have begun to commit to employing additional health workers, with some pledging to hire over 1,000 primary healthcare personnel annually over the next four years. This move is expected to improve primary healthcare services and reduce the number of “zero-dose” children. The Chief Executive of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Muyi Aina, endorsed ongoing efforts to increase basic healthcare financing and improve vaccine funding releases, which have been hampered by chronic underfunding.

Aina noted that the National Assembly is working to raise the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund from 1% to 2% and restructure vaccine financing to prevent delayed releases. Additionally, efforts are underway to ensure states contribute more resources to primary healthcare. The CEO of the Vaccine Network for Disease Control, Chika Offor, commended these efforts and highlighted the need for constitutional amendments to further strengthen immunization and primary healthcare systems.

Nigeria’s struggle with a high number of “zero-dose” children persists despite national vaccination programs and international support. The country’s high infant and maternal mortality rates are a pressing concern, and addressing the issue of “zero-dose” children is crucial to reducing these rates. The recent summit and ongoing efforts to strengthen primary healthcare services and increase funding are significant steps towards improving the country’s healthcare system and ensuring that all children have access to essential vaccines.