Gates praises Northern leaders for immunisation efforts

Chairperson of the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, has commended the efforts of Northern traditional leaders in ensuring an increased uptake of immunisation in the region.

Speaking at the Northern Traditional Leaders’ Committee on Primary Health Care Service Delivery (NTLC) quarterly review meeting, organised by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) on Tuesday in Abuja, Gates acknowledged the Council’s contributions to eradicating the wild poliovirus and the uptake of the HPV vaccine, which has achieved an impressive 86 per cent coverage among girls aged 9 to 14.

He stressed the need to sustain the fight against vaccine-preventable diseases, highlighting the new challenge posed by circulating poliovirus type 2 (CBPDD2).

He said, “The selection of the right people for vaccination teams is crucial. They must be diligent, trusted by the community, and capable of following up on cases of noncompliance. Where results are lacking, we must be ready to make necessary changes.”

Gates noted the importance of routine immunizations in protecting children from diseases like pneumonia, diarrhoea, and measles.

He praised the Sultan of Sokoto and other leaders for their commitment to improving health outcomes and urged continued cooperation to raise immunisation levels across the country.

“We’ve made tremendous progress together. With continued collaboration and focus, we can finish the job on polio and significantly boost immunisation coverage, ensuring better health for all Nigerian children.”

Also speaking, Chairman of Dangote, Alh. Aliko Dangote, urged the traditional leaders in Nigeria to continue to support the government to ensure effective routine immunisation.

On his part, the coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, noted that vaccines are the most cost-effective public health interventions that have saved millions of lives globally.

He noted that vaccines play a significant role in preventing childhood diseases, adding that while vaccines are fully acknowledged for their safety and efficacy by regulators, misinformation has hindered their uptake in many countries, including Nigeria.

He underscored the vital role traditional and religious leaders play in countering these myths and ensuring community support for vaccination programs.

The minister expressed the government’s commitment to local drug manufacturing through the Presidential Initiative to unlock the healthcare value chain.

He called for improvements in research, regulatory frameworks, and local production of essential medical supplies, including vaccines and pharmaceuticals, to meet the highest standards of safety and efficacy.

He also outlined plans for synchronised immunisation campaigns with neighbouring countries Niger and Chad, urging collaboration from border leaders to ensure successful vaccination drives and prevent the cross-border spread of diseases.

Pate acknowledged the ongoing efforts of partners like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, and various local organisations, stressing the need for continued collaboration and vigilance to maintain and enhance immunisation coverage in Nigeria.

Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, said that the country has made significant progress in the collective efforts to reach chronically missed children and intensified efforts to resolve pending cases of non-compliance and improve population immunity.

He commended the efforts of the traditional leaders in the ongoing strategies, including the Identify, Enumerate, and Vaccinate (IEV) strategy; In-Between Round Activities (IBRA), and Targeted Local Response (TLR) initiatives.

Aina stated that the strategies that have been implemented have been instrumental in identifying and vaccinating zero-dose children, particularly in hard-to-reach and special areas such as markets, nomadic routes, and border transit points.

He said, “The results we are getting are due, largely, to the commitment we receive from our revered traditional leaders. For example, we have a 57% reduction in pending non-compliance from the April campaign; and we were able to vaccinate an additional 117,000 zero-dose children across 14 states.

“We are at the peak of the rainy season, which is also the peak of transmission for the poliovirus. It is, therefore, critical that we mobilise our people and communities to ensure all eligible children are reached and vaccinated during the forthcoming campaigns in September, October, and November.”

The NPHCDA boss noted that the sustained support and commitment of the Gates Foundation and Aliko Dangote Foundation to improving health outcomes globally, and in Nigeria in particular, remains exemplary and commended the Gates Foundation for its support for routine immunisation, maternal and child health, family planning, nutrition, and health system strengthening, among other health interventions.