The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has announced that Nigeria’s intensified immunization drive has resulted in the administration of over 174 million vaccine doses within one year.
The Executive Secretary of NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Wednesday in Abuja on the sidelines of the inaugural National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health.
Aina said the massive immunization effort has significantly boosted utilization of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) nationwide.
He explained that the scale-up—not only for routine vaccines but also through targeted campaigns against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases—has restored public confidence in government health facilities.
“The immunization push forms part of broader reforms under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to strengthen primary healthcare delivery across the country,” he said.
Aina revealed that approximately 4,000 PHCs have been revitalized over the past one and a half years, with 2,332 facilities fully refurbished and equipped to deliver a minimum package of services.
These services include maternal and newborn care, immunization, basic diagnostics, and health promotion.
“These facilities are now functional, safe, and accessible. Mothers and children can receive essential vaccines and other services closer to their communities,” he stated.
To improve vaccine storage and distribution—especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas—the Federal Government has deployed more than 10,000 solar-powered refrigerators nationwide.
Aina added that medical equipment, hospital beds, laboratory tools, essential medicines, vaccines, and family planning commodities have been supplied to over 500 facilities.
On human resources, he disclosed that 78,000 health workers have been trained so far, out of a target of 120,000.
States are supporting the recruitment of community-based health workers to ensure round-the-clock service delivery, while incentives—including the distribution of 50,000 uniforms to frontline workers—have been introduced to boost morale and professionalism.
Aina acknowledged that uptake of the pentavalent vaccine remains uneven in some areas and stressed the critical role of traditional and religious leaders in addressing vaccine hesitancy and building community trust.
“We are leveraging community structures to close immunization gaps and ensure no child is left behind,” he said.
He further revealed that a digital performance management platform is being rolled out to monitor service delivery and enhance accountability across PHCs nationwide.
The impact of these reforms is already visible: PHC utilization rose from 34 million patients in the first quarter of 2024 to 47 million by the third quarter of 2025.
Aina reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding routine immunization and skilled birth attendance through sustained collaboration with states, development partners, and community leaders to achieve near-universal access to essential primary healthcare services.
