COVID-19: FG gets $9.26M grant from Canadian government

The Federal Government has received a $9.26 million (Can) grant from the Canadian Government to scale up COVID-19 vaccine service delivery among high-priority risk groups and strengthen health systems in the country.

The grant will help the World Health Organization (WHO) Nigeria to provide technical support to strengthen health systems and increase COVID-19 vaccine demand generation and uptake in an integrated mode with routine immunization and other Primary Health Care (PHC) services.

The states where the grant will be implemented include Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Kebbi, Katsina, Anambra, Ebonyi, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Lagos, Ogun and Ondo.

Speaking during the launch of Canada’s Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity (CanGIVE) grant in Abuja, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, said: “The COVID-19 vaccination program was launched in Nigeria on March 5, 2021, and thanks to the support of the federal government, state governments, and all our partners, we have reached over 75 per cent of the target population of individuals aged 18 and above with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

While we have made significant progress, we still have work to do. Several states have primary series coverage below 70 per cent, and booster doses account for just over 20 per cent of vaccinations. Therefore, this grant targets states with lower performance and aims to reach high-priority populations.”

In his remarks, the High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Jamie Christoff, said: “CanGIVE is designed to strengthen COVID-19 vaccine delivery systems to reach high priority and marginalized groups; enhance the integration of COVID-19 vaccine to routine health service; and scale up regional vaccine production capacity. It will also target improved access to COVID-19 vaccines.”

The Country Representative of WHO, Dr Walter Mulombo added, “The WHO Director General’s declaration that COVID-19 is no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concerns (PHEIC) marks a turning point in the pandemic. The declaration does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global/national health threat.

Though considerable achievements have been made, we are still at risk of infection as cases are still being reported in a number of countries. I would like to take this opportunity to caution all of us on the need to continue protecting ourselves by completing, the primary series of COVID-19 vaccination and for those who have completed to continue with the booster dose schedule.”