Strengthening Healthcare Financing and CSO Advocacy for Vaccine Access.

It was an honor for the Women Advocates for Vaccine Access (WAVA) to participate as a CSO representative in Nigeria’s first ever Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) Joint Annual Review (JAR) in the Federal Capital Territory from November 6-8, 2024. Led by the Coordinating Minister for Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, the event brought together key national health stakeholders, including state health commissioners, traditional leaders, MDAs, alliance partners, and Civil Society Organization (CSO) representatives, to assess progress, challenges, and opportunities in strengthening Nigeria’s health system.

This milestone underscores WAVA’s commitment to advocating for equitable vaccine access and sustainable health systems. Discussions focused on immunization and the use of data to understand current challenges. While progress was acknowledged, it was clear that more is needed to protect vulnerable women and children. A key highlight was the launch of the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovations and Initiatives (MAMII), aimed at improving maternal health through strengthened human resources and revitalized primary healthcare centers.

The expanded Inter-Agency Coordination Committee (ICC) for Immunization also addressed fiscal space for health, emphasizing the need for domestic resource mobilization and cross-sector collaboration to ensure timely vaccine availability. A crucial takeaway was reframing vaccines as an investment with measurable public health returns.

This engagement highlighted the critical role of CSOs in advocating for sustainable immunization financing and policy integration to ensure continuous vaccine access for all.

As a follow-up, WAVA plans to distil these complex conversations for our peers and empower them to use this information in their advocacy efforts. WAVA continues to focus on strengthening coordination across CSOs and championing equitable healthcare for all Nigerians.