Amid allegation of 380m contract fraud against the Executive Secretary of Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Muyi Aina, the health agency has announced the arrival of its first consignment of malaria vaccines today, Thursday, October 16, 2024.
The vaccine is a significant step towards combating the manace of malaria in Nigeria.
Daily Intel reported that a coalition against corruption in Nigeria on Friday called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ,ICPC, to investigate the alleged fraudulent disbursement of N380 million to contractors without stating the project by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency ,NPHCDA.
The coalition in a statement by its spokesperson Adamu Musa said the suspicious payment were made to five companies.
The arrival of the vaccine is expected to overshadowed the fraud allegations.
Announcing the arrival , the NPHCDA said the vaccines would be received in Abuja by Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.
Daily Intel gathered that the delivery is the World Health Organization’s ,WHO, fulfillment of its pledge to eradicate malaria in high-burden countries across Africa, including Nigeria.
The vaccine, known as RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix), has been proven to reduce malaria cases and mortality among young children in large clinical trials across Africa.
Nigeria will be the third African country to introduce the vaccine, following Ghana and Kenya, which began using the vaccine in 2023.
Malaria remains a serious public health issue in Nigeria, affecting 97% of the population, with the country accounting for 27% of global malaria cases and 31% of global malaria deaths.
The Nigerian government has inturn developed a strategic distribution plan to prioritize regions most affected by malaria, particularly in rural areas where access to healthcare is limited. The rollout will begin in these high-burden regions before expanding nationwide.
