Thursday, 15th May 2025
The HERFON-led Consortium—comprising HERFON HQ, Vaccine Network for Disease Control, and Gem Hub Initiative—hosted a pivotal stakeholder meeting at the Belmont Hotel in Wuye, Abuja. The meeting was convened under the project titled “Strengthening Accountability for Health Security Finances and Vaccine Equitable Access in Nigeria.”
This critical initiative, funded by the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), is aimed at institutionalizing accountability mechanisms that guide responsible health financing and ensure equitable access to life-saving vaccines across Nigeria.
In 2024, the consortium—working in collaboration with AHBN—developed a Health Security Accountability Framework and Scorecard. These tools were designed in consultation with relevant National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to identify key indicators for tracking and evaluating progress.
During the May 15th session, stakeholders from government bodies, civil society organizations, and public health agencies and the Media came together to review and validate these tools. The Consortium collated all the feedbacks from participants and would update for further agreement by all stakeholders
The Framework and Scorecard are intended to:
- Monitor health security financing (allocations and releases)
- Check vaccine production efforts
- Ensure accountability from policy design to implementation on biosafety and biosecurity
- Drive inclusive participation in health governance
A key highlight of the event was a shared commitment from all participants: that transparency, equitable funding, and strong multi-sectoral collaboration must become the norm in Nigeria’s health security financing landscape.
This convening represents a significant stride in aligning Nigeria’s health security priorities with international best practices, ensuring that equity, accountability, and access remain at the forefront of health sector decision-making.
The HERFON Consortium, with continued support from partners, is laying the groundwork for a more resilient, inclusive health security system—one that meets the needs of all Nigerians, both now and in the years ahead.
Participating Organizations Included:
NGOs/CSOs such as
- Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development
- AHBN
- BudgIT
- Nigeria Health Watch
- INEMO Foundation
NAPHS MDAs such as:
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
- National Biotechnology Development Agency
- National Biosafety Management Agency
- National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development
- Nigerian Institute of Medical Research
- Federal Ministry of Environment
- Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security among others
