…Backs MAMII Initiative To Accelerate Reduction in Preventable Deaths

As Nigeria joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Health Day 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a strong call for urgent, collective action to address the country’s alarmingly high rates of maternal and neonatal mortality.

Speaking at a walk organized to mark the global health day in Abuja, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, urged stakeholders to rise to the challenge, stating that too many Nigerian women and newborns are still dying from preventable causes.

“Today reminds us why WHO was created—to promote health, save lives, and ensure everyone can live a healthy life from birth to old age,” Dr. Mulombo said. “But the reality in Nigeria remains worrisome. Maternal and neonatal mortality rates are still unacceptably high, and we must act now.”

Citing figures from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), he acknowledged that while progress has been made, maternal and child health indicators still present a major concern. He noted that updated data is currently being analyzed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

Dr. Mulombo expressed strong support for the government’s recently launched Mothers and Newborns Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiative (MAMII), describing it as a critical step forward in accelerating progress.

“The MAMII initiative is a game-changer. It signifies a renewed commitment by government, civil society, and communities to drastically reduce preventable maternal and neonatal deaths,” he said. “This is not just a government problem—it’s everyone’s responsibility.”

Beyond maternal and newborn care, he emphasized the importance of preventive health and individual lifestyle choices. “This year’s theme, My Health, My Right, is a reminder that everyone has the right to quality healthcare, and that includes making informed decisions about our daily habits—staying active, eating well, and seeking timely medical care.”

Reaffirming WHO’s commitment, Dr. Mulombo said the organization will continue to strengthen Nigeria’s health system through technical support, training for healthcare workers, and improved service delivery.

“Our goal is clear—by 2030, Nigeria must significantly improve health outcomes. WHO stands ready as a committed partner to make that happen,” he concluded.

World Health Day, celebrated every April 7 since 1948, commemorates the founding of WHO and serves as a platform to spotlight key public health challenges. This year’s theme reaffirms the fundamental right of every individual—regardless of location or income—to access quality, affordable healthcare.

…Calls For Vaccine Financing As First-Line Charge In National Budget

Despite recent strides in vaccine funding, Nigeria’s immunization progress remains fragile without a sustainable financing framework, the Vaccine Network for Disease Control has warned. Speaking during a press briefing to mark World Health Day 2025, the Network’s Executive Director, Chika Offor, lauded the Federal Government for releasing long-awaited vaccine funds for 2022 and 2023, alongside 25% of the 2024 allocation. However, she stressed that gains made could be quickly eroded if urgent structural reforms are not put in place.

“We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, for demonstrating political will by prioritizing immunization,” Offor said. She noted that the ₦231.7 billion allocated for immunization in 2025—including provision for malaria vaccines and vaccine logistics—represents a critical step toward universal health coverage. However, she warned that donor withdrawals and shrinking fiscal space have created a looming threat. “If we do not act quickly, we risk reversing the progress made in 2024. These children are not statistics—they are real lives, with names and dreams,” she cautioned.

Offor urged the Federal Government to make vaccine financing a first-line charge in the national budget to ensure timely and predictable disbursement. She also called on state and local governments to allocate dedicated vaccine budgets and establish accountability systems. While celebrating successes like 71% HPV vaccine coverage and over 30 million children protected from polio, she pointed to persistent gaps, particularly Nigeria’s high number of zero-dose children—those who have never received any routine immunization.

Also speaking, Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan, Nigeria Coordinator for the Prevent Epidemics/Immunization Programme at the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, echoed the concerns. He stressed that while vaccines save lives, inconsistent financing continues to threaten health security. “It’s time Nigeria stopped depending solely on international partners like Gavi and increased domestic investment. As the CEO of the Vaccine Network rightly said, the time to act is now,” he stated.

Both advocates emphasized that immunization is not just a health obligation but a smart economic investment, reducing disease burden and saving future healthcare costs. They affirmed support for the Federal Government’s renewed investment in primary healthcare, noting that a strong PHC system means better vaccine access, fewer zero-dose children, and a healthier Nigeria.

Former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and current Chairman of the Board of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, has urged the Federal Government to place vaccine financing at the heart of Nigeria’s health investment strategy, warning that the country risks raising a weak and vulnerable generation if it fails to act decisively.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on World Health Day 2025, Oloriegbe emphasized the urgent need for Nigeria to transition from mere policy rhetoric to actual local vaccine production. He called for the engagement of the pharmaceutical sector and strategic incentives for private sector participation in immunization financing, especially as global donor support continues to wane. “We must take ownership of our vaccine future through consistent and predictable domestic funding,” he declared.

Oloriegbe highlighted the devastating impact of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and bacterial meningitis, which continue to resurface due to gaps in immunization coverage, particularly among zero-dose children. “Many of us are alive today because we received vaccines as children,” he said. “Immunization is one of the most cost-effective public health tools we have, and investing in vaccines today means we spend less on treating preventable outbreaks tomorrow.” He further noted that the proposed N1 trillion investment in primary healthcare must include a robust immunization component to secure a healthy and economically productive future generation.

…Seizes, Destroys Over N1 Trillion Worth of Substandard Medicines

In a major crackdown on the influx of substandard and counterfeit medicines into Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has appointed Cotecna Inspection Services (CIS), a global testing and inspection agency, to reinforce its Clean Report of Inspection and Analysis (CRIA) Scheme in India.

The move follows NAFDAC’s unprecedented seizure and destruction of over N1 trillion worth of substandard and expired drugs from major open drug markets in Idumota, Onitsha, and Aba.

Speaking at a hybrid Technical Stakeholders’ Meeting in Lagos, NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the agency’s aggressive reforms target unscrupulous importers and manufacturers, particularly in India and China.

“The presence of substandard and falsified (SF) medicines undermines public trust in healthcare systems, worsens treatment outcomes, and enables organized criminal networks who see this trade as less risky than narcotics trafficking,” Prof. Adeyeye said.

The CRIA scheme, operational in China and India, is NAFDAC’s frontline defense against counterfeit imports. It mandates physical inspection, random sampling, lab testing, and verification of regulatory documents using NAFDAC-approved facilities.

Prof. Adeyeye explained that under her leadership, the CRIA programme has been overhauled. One agent was disengaged, two renewed, and several new partners added. The scheme now boasts five CRIA agents in India and four in China.

Approved CRIA Agents in India:

Assurance Analytics Pvt. Ltd

Cotecna Inspection Services

QCS Labs LLP

Quntrol Labs Pvt. Ltd

Silis Labs Pvt. Ltd

Approved CRIA Agents in China:

China Standards Tech. Services Ltd (CSTS)

Guangzhou Test Technology Consulting Co. Ltd

NHU Laboratories

Shanghai Hanlin Laboratory Ltd

“All NAFDAC-regulated products require CRIA processing unless specifically exempted,” Prof. Adeyeye noted. She urged exporters and importers to strictly comply and engage only approved agents.

The agency has also introduced the Ports Inspection Data Capture and Risk Management System (PIDCARMS), a digital tool for verifying inspection reports and enhancing transparency at entry points.

Mrs. Lena Sodergren, Vice President of Verification of Conformity and Africa at Cotecna, hailed NAFDAC’s CRIA scheme as “the most comprehensive regulatory programme for food, drugs, and cosmetics in Africa and beyond.”

She praised its traceability and ability to eliminate fake documentation, non-compliant shipments, and blacklisted products.

Director of NAFDAC’s Ports Inspection Directorate (PID), Dr. Olakunle Olaniran, revealed that nearly 200 consignments of substandard or falsified products have been intercepted or blocked through CRIA over the last five years — ranging from failed lab tests to document forgeries.

“In all such cases, sanctions were enforced, and we will continue working closely with foreign authorities and inspection agencies,” Olaniran said.

Prof. Adeyeye further disclosed plans for strategic engagement with the Indian government to monitor the final destination of rejected pharmaceutical shipments, preventing illegal re-entry into Nigerian markets.

“There must be accountability. We are determined to ensure that no rejected drug finds its way into Nigeria through the back door,” she stressed.

She reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to public health and called on stakeholders to support the agency’s efforts to ensure that only safe, quality, and effective medical products enter Nigeria’s regulated markets.

“We are fully committed to controlling the outbreak,” says NCDC DG Dr. Jide Idris

Nigeria is grappling with a severe outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM), which has claimed 85 lives in 22 states, with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) ramping up efforts to curb further spread. As of March 23, 2024, a total of 1,625 cases have been recorded, and the NCDC has activated its National Multi-Sectoral Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to oversee the response.

Dr. Jide Idris, Director-General of the NCDC, spoke about the urgency of the situation, highlighting that the affected states, including Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi, and Zamfara, have reported the highest case numbers, making up the bulk of the confirmed cases. “We have mobilized resources and collaborated with national and international partners to ensure a rapid, coordinated response to this outbreak,” Dr. Idris explained.

With cases reported across 93 local government areas, Dr. Idris confirmed that 49 of these LGAs have documented laboratory-confirmed cases. The NCDC is working alongside organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to enhance surveillance, treatment, and vaccination efforts.

The outbreak has a notably high case fatality rate of 5%, higher than previous years. Children between the ages of 5 and 14 remain the most vulnerable, with the outbreak primarily driven by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C (NmC).

“The disease continues to spread, and factors like overcrowding, delayed health-seeking behavior, and limited healthcare access in affected communities have made the situation more challenging,” Dr. Idris added. He urged local governments to intensify public health campaigns and ensure widespread vaccination coverage in high-risk areas.

As the meningitis belt spans northern Nigeria, the outbreak is expected to continue through the dry season months, with the NCDC urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and seek prompt medical attention at the first signs of infection.