NSSF, NPHCDA Lead Campaign to Vaccinate 70% of Nigeria’s Population

Rebecca Ejifoma writes that the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency L in partnership with the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund is championing campaign in vaccine confidence and the vaccination of 70 per cent of the population as part of the universal call for coordinated activity at the global, regional, national, and local levels

While the aftermath of the pandemic continues to keep the world on its feet, clinical trials and surveillance have shown the crucial need for COVID-19 vaccination in preventing deaths even as health professionals have raised concerns on the role of vaccine confidence. 
Vaccine confidence, according to the Centre for Disease and Control (CDC), is the belief that vaccines work, are safe and are part of a trustworthy medical system. 

As an urgent public health issue with research, development, and communications around quality vaccines on the rise, the NPHCDA and NSSF held a virtual roundtable discussion tagged “Vaccine Confidence in Nigeria” recently. 

In his opening remarks, the vice-chairman, NSSF, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said, “This roundtable discussion puts us in the right place and at the right time to accelerate the exchange of ideas and scaling-up of good practices to reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.”

Addressing over 150 attendees, the ED/CEO, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, brought participants up to speed on the successful campaign of the six-state vaccination drive partnership, which is between the NSSF and NPHCDA. 

According to him, it remarkably impacted over 1.6 million Nigerians, with an important lesson on how vaccine hesitancy and non-compliance can delay the achievement of health targets. “The issue of vaccine hesitancy is something that is global but within the context of Nigeria there are different issues driving this hesitancy. Tapping into global practices is going to be very critical for us as a country,” added Shuaib.

The event was also joined by a group of panelists which included policy experts, foundations, civil society organisations, community leaders and faith-based organisations. Among them were Prof Larson, Michael Fornwall of Merck For Mothers.

Others included Tijjani Mohammed, Advocacy and Communications – Nigeria; Alhaji Samaila Muhammad Mera, Emir of Argungu Camp, Chairman, Northern Traditional Leaders Committee NTLC); Bishop Sunday Onuoha (Nigerian Interfaith Action Association NIFAA) and  Peter Hawkins UNICEF Country Representative. 

One common theme among the panelists was the need for mid-collaboration while exploring the factors responsible for vaccine hesitancy and proffering context specific solutions for vaccine education campaigns across the country.

Speaking also, the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at NPHCDA, Dr. Bassey Okposen, harped on the significance of going to the grassroots and providing information around why vaccines work. 

He emphasised that it would help the goal of being able to exit the pandemic as they look forward to delivering COVID-19 vaccines to at least 70 per cent of the eligible population this year.  “Whether there’s a pandemic or not, we will always continue to try to improve childhood immunisation by vaccinating children against vaccine-preventable diseases.

In her reaction, Dr. Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko, General Manager at NSSF outlined that, “There is a need to integrate COVID-19 vaccinations into routine vaccinations for added benefit for Nigeria” 

On best practices in building vaccine confidence, COVID-19 New Vaccine Information, Communication, and Education (CONVINCE), Prof. Heidi Larson maintained that the most important lesson in building vaccine confidence is to listen and understand, map the issues, and design the interventions to fit the needs of the people first.

The Prof, however, cited examples of how countries doused negative emotions about the vaccines and were able to build trust and uptake by leveraging emotions of hope and empathy.

For Bishop Sunday Onuoha, representing Nigerian Interfaith Action Association (NIFAA), the government needs to mobilise religious leaders in building vaccine confidence within communities.

According to Onuoha, religious leaders are the key to encouraging communities to participate in the vaccination programmes, as this seems to have worked in the past polio vaccine programme. 

One of the panelists, Micheal Fornwall, from Merck for Mothers, highlighted also that building confidence in vaccination and creating resilient immunisation programmes requires a coordinated approach. “It would require government, stakeholders and leadership commitment. Effective health systems, policies, and programme coordination, supportive, positive community and individual experiences to drive confidence and demand in the country,” he suggested. 

Although the roundtable discussion on vaccine confidence might officially be over, at the NSSF’s centre is the goal of accelerating vaccination advocacy campaigns and rates for each group and identity in the country. 

The organisations, therefore, called for support for the  initiative, noting that prospective donors can start by visiting the NSSF website. All donations will support the health and economic crises caused by the pandemic.

The NSSF is a private-sector led institution born out of a partnership between the Global Citizen (GC) and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to complement efforts in combating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
This it would achieve through fundraising to address three core COVID-19 response areas: supporting the most vulnerable, strengthening health care systems and re-skilling of Nigerian youth for The New Nigeria.

The institution believes that everyone should have access to quality and affordable healthcare services when they need it. It is also of the notion that young Nigerians should be enabled with opportunities for self-empowerment and well-skilled for a post-COVID-19 era and that the most vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised groups in Nigeria should not be left behind.

Quote
“The most important lesson in building vaccine confidence is to listen and understand, map the issues, and design the interventions to fit the needs of the people first”