NSSF leads campaign against vaccine hesitancy with 1.6m jabs in three months

Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF) announced, yesterday, that its September 2021 partnership with National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), to support vaccination of one million Nigerians in Adamawa, Edo, Imo, Katsina, Nasarawa and Ogun States by January 2022, resulted in the vaccination of 1,651,278 people, as at the end of December, exceeding the target by over 60 per cent.

In a statement, NSSF said the success of its vaccination drive shows what is possible through collaboration and partnership to overcome vaccine hesitancy.

It said: “With funding from the NSSF, NPHCDA was able to mobilise over 1,000 qualified health workers to move into the field, visiting each ward, council, and local government area in the six states. Our vaccination teams operate from markets, places of worship, schools etc.

“The use of town criers and similar grassroots tactics are also deployed to reach the widest audience possible. So far, the campaign has reached over 12 million Nigerians, who have been better informed about the need to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. The NSSF will continue to provide funding and other support to the NPHCDA, to ensure millions more Nigerians are vaccinated as soon as possible.

“Our success would not be possible without the support of our donors, partners, the NSSF team and most importantly health workers in the field who are implementing the vaccination campaign.”

NSSF is a private-sector-led institution born out of a partnership between Global Citizen (GC) and Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to complement efforts in combating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic 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.

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

NSSF is governed by a statutory board of experienced members: Mr. Tunde Folawiyo (Board Chairman), Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede (Member), Mr. Uche Orji (Member) and Mrs. Stella Ojekwe-Onyejeli (Member).