8 notable quotes from leaders of the first Nigeria Immunization Collaborative

The Collaborative is a partnership between the Geneva Learning Foundation, UNICEF, and Nigeria’s National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to support health workers in strengthening routine immunization.

Learn more and apply to join the Collaborative: https://www.learning.foundation/nigeria

As of 1 July, 699 health professionals had already expressed interest in joining the Collaborative.

Those inducted to the Collaborative come from 33 states, 71 LGAs, a mix of health system levels.

Forty percent are women.

46 Nigerian organizations – including an eclectic mix of local government agencies, civil society organizations, and private businesses like pharmacies – have already become official Partners of the Collaborative.

Here are 8 memorable quotes from Monday’s induction ceremony about the challenges they face.

“The Collaborative connects all the stakeholders that are concerned in the immunization exercise, from the community down to facilities and out to the entire beneficiaries who are supposed to receive the immunizations.” - Usman Tijjani

“In my place, there are some rural areas that are very, very difficult to reach. We used to get a bus to reach them. But this is no longer possible.” - Anifat Eegunjobi

“We discovered that some of the commodities of vaccine had been returned from one of the LGAs. So when we heard that, we developed a high delegate committee from the state and deployed to that LGA.” - Rabiu Abdulwahab

“My challenge is that immunization campaigns do not reach the grassroots here in Eboe State particularly because when they bring the campaign, they always do the campaign serially in urban area, neglecting rural areas. Local languages are also a challenge. Misinformation causes people in the communities to run away from vaccines. That means I need campaign supporters, members, maybe from my units, the volunteers of Nigeria Red Cross Society and partners to work hand in hand. Because without that, there's no way you bring the vaccines to them. ” - Egwu Jubilee-igwe

“Youths nowadays are very, very reluctant to engage because of insecurity, the financial perspective—because everybody now needs money. So it’s quite difficult to encourage youths, even as those that are pursuing a career in health.” - Mrs Zahra Abubakar-Otaru

“During COVID-19, community pharmacies administered up to 76,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Since then, we have not had movement around immunization. And so, whatever things that need to be done, whatever learning we need to do to get over 6,500 community pharmacies accepted into this program, we are ready to do it, including follow-through and free services.” - Olayinka Osuolale

“The biggest challenge we face in our work as community pharmacies is that the community pharmacy in Nigeria is not permitted by law to administer vaccines. But a lot of the public come to community pharmacy to seek help or to seek care.” - Ukamaka Okafor

“Academics, they are part and parcel of all this. And they can be able to effectively contribute. The first things into this humanization agenda is awareness. You just have to make people to be aware of what is all about the importance, and also the importance of the collaboration and the importance of humanization.” – Adamu Galadima Dagona

Watch the Official Announcement of the first health leaders inducted to the Immunization Collaborative