…Calls for First-Line Immunization Funding as Stakeholders Unite to End Vaccine Stockouts
By Fatima Saka
Abuja, Nigeria – “We cannot stop. You cannot stop. I cannot stop. Because vaccines are miracles — they save lives,” declared Mrs. Chika Kemi Offor, Chief Executive Officer of the Vaccine Network for Disease Control.
Offor made the passionate plea during a high-level stakeholders’ engagement on vaccine financing and primary healthcare strengthening held Tuesday in Abuja. She called for urgent, predictable, and sustained first-line funding for immunization, warning that persistent vaccine shortages are placing the lives of Nigerian children at grave risk.
Speaking against the backdrop of an ongoing outbreak, Offor underscored the importance of treating vaccine procurement as a top budgetary priority. She emphasized that without an automatic and reliable financing mechanism, Nigeria will continue to face devastating stockouts.
“I’m very excited because today, all stakeholders are united around a common goal,” she said. “One key commitment is the push for first-line charge for immunization. Without that, we’ll keep struggling to fund vaccines, and our children will continue dying from preventable diseases.”
While acknowledging the continued support of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Offor reminded stakeholders that Nigeria must meet its co-financing obligations. She commended parliamentarians and health leaders for demonstrating political will and aligning on the use of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF)—which receives 1% of Nigeria’s consolidated revenue—as a sustainable source for vaccine funding.
“Vaccines are not items you buy off the shelf,” Offor explained. “Even after payment, it can take up to six months to receive vaccines like Rotavirus. If there’s a stockout today, the gap could last half a year.”
PREACH Project Rallies States, Private Sector
Offor also highlighted the PREACH Project, Promoting Community Health and Development through Research, Partnership, Capacity Building, Advocacy, Empowerment, and Women Participation—which is being implemented in five states to strengthen state-level vaccine budget planning and deepen private sector engagement.
Funded by Gavi through the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, the PREACH initiative focuses on building sustainable, grassroots-driven health systems. Offor noted that states like Gombe have already begun establishing vaccine logistics budget lines as part of the effort.
“All hands are on deck. From government to the private sector, civil society, and local communities—we are collectively strengthening primary healthcare. The state is where it all happens, and we must act there,” she said.
Offor stressed that the long-term solution lies in eliminating bureaucratic delays and creating a streamlined vaccine financing framework that can deliver consistent and timely results.
“We must stop scrambling for the same limited funds. Service-wide votes won’t suffice. If we truly want to save lives, vaccines must be funded as a first-line budget item,” she insisted.
Call to Action
Ending her address with a fervent appeal, Offor urged decision-makers and stakeholders to prioritize vaccine financing without compromise.
READ ALSO: “Vaccines Are Miracles — They Save Lives,” Vaccine Network CEO Emphasizes
“We cannot stop. You cannot stop. I cannot stop. Because vaccines are miracles — they save lives.”
Nigeria remains among the countries with the highest number of zero-dose children globally. Stakeholders at the meeting pledged to intensify collaboration to reverse this trend and establish a resilient, inclusive, and sustainably financed immunization system.
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