'Nigeria ready to ensure vaccine equity' – NCDC

<h2>The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says the country is prepared to take on another formidable challenge – ensuring vaccine equity.</h2>, <p>NCDC, DG stated that Nigeria has confronted numerous public health challenges and had seen the devastating consequences of diseases like polio, measles, and Ebola.</p>, <span>Dr. Ifedayo-Adetifa, NCDC-Director-General-I(Credit: Punch Newspaper)</span>, <p>The Director-General, NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, July 21, 2023 in Abuja, on the sidelines of Canada’s Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity (CanGIVE) launched in Nigeria.</p>, <p>Adetifa said that through the CanGIVE initiative, Nigeria aimed at enhancing vaccine provision, coverage, and delivery across our nation.</p>, <p>“We will work hand in hand with our valued international partners, such as Canada, to address the logistics, supply chain, and financial barriers that hinder equitable access to vaccines.</p>, <p>“We recognize that no one should be left behind or denied the opportunity to protect themselves and their loved ones from vaccine-preventable diseases,” he said.</p>, <p>The NCDC boss said that the agency’s approach would focus on strengthening the primary healthcare system, ensuring adequate training for healthcare workers, enhancing surveillance, and leveraging data-driven strategies.</p>, <p>“By doing so, we can identify and overcome geographical, socioeconomic, and cultural barriers that hinder vaccine accessibility and utilisation,” he said.</p>, <p>Adetifa said that, additionally, the agency was committed to building and nurturing strong partnerships with community leaders, civil society organisations, and advocacy groups.</p>, <p>He said that this collaboration would enable targeted engagement in vaccine education and address misconceptions or vaccine hesitancy, ensuring that accurate information was disseminated to the public.</p>, <p>“But as we embark on this ambitious journey, let us not forget the importance of man