COVID-19: Nigeria receives $9.2m vaccination grant from Canadian Govt

In a bid to scale-up COVID-19 vaccine service delivery among high-priority risk groups and strengthen health systems in Nigeria, the Federal Government says it has received a grant of $9,261,920 from the Canadian Government.

The donation was announced by the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Jamie Christoff at the launch of the Canada Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity, CanGIVE Grant in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

Canada Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity, CanGIVE, is a two-year grant of $9,261,920 from Global Affairs Canada to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to support the scale-up of COVID-19 vaccine service delivery among priority risk groups and strengthen health systems in Nigeria.

Persecondnews reports that the donation is coming after the federal government reported that, although it has made great strides in its immunization campaigns, numerous states had primary series coverage rates below 70 percent.

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.

Christoff explained that the aim of the project was to strengthen vaccine delivery systems and community outreach to reach high-priority and marginalized groups.

According to him, the project also aims to integrate COVID-19 within routine health services in a way that strengthens the broader health systems, including increased gender-responsive capacity, as well as reduce the incidence of COVID-19-related death and serious illness, particularly amongst priority groups and vulnerable populations.

In his remarks, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, commended the Canadian government for its valuable support in providing the grant for Nigeria.

“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 percent of the target population of individuals aged 18 and above with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.”