FG perform ground-breaking of Abuja hub vaccine storage to boost Immunization Network
Federal Government has performed a Ground-breaking ceremony for the commencement Abuja hub project, to improve the immunization logistic network and storage capacity for new and essential vaccines.
The Abuja hub project is one of the 3 hub initiatives planned for Lagos and Kano for the purpose of expanding sufficient storage space for vaccines and injection materials for efficient implementation of our immunization programme
The 3-hub is a National initiative lead by the NPHCDA to improve immunization logistic network and storage capacity in Nigeria. The National Strategic Cold Store in Abuja served as the country’s only hub for receiving about 250 shipments of vaccines per annum.
Speaking at the Ground-breaking ceremony, on Thursday, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said, supply chain challenges highlighted by COVID-19 vaccination effort also underlines the need for massive expansion of storage space.
“In recognition of the need for resilience in the system, the country following detailed analysis decided on a system redesign which includes construction of three mega stores at the national level, deployment of optimised cold chain equipment at the health facilities, an efficient distribution system and the deployment of an electronic logistics management information system to provide visibility across the supply chain.
According to him, “This ground-breaking ceremony is a significant milestone of the system redesign journey. GAVI’s support in funding of the construction of two of the three mega stores Abuja and Kano hubs is therefore much appreciated.”
The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, noted that the funding for the Abuja Hub and the Kano Hub are being provided by the Gavi Alliance within the country’s Health System strengthening (HSS) support.
Dr Shuaib, “The logistics team in the country had developed a strategic system design plan to address the challenges in immunization Supply Chain. The plan was reviewed with technical support from the Gavi integrated supply Chain 2 (iSC2) team which visited the country in July 2019.
“This plan included massive storge capacity expansion at the national level through construction of three megastores in Abuja, Lagos and Kano (the 3-Hub project), optimal CCE and management practices at the state level, adequacy of cold chain storage space at the point of service delivery through implementation of a policy of “at least one functional and optimized CCE in each of the country’s political ward” a project which benefited from the Gavi Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Platform support and a system for visibility across the levels of the supply chain through deployment of an efficient electronic Logistics management Information System, the OpenLMIS again with Gavi funding support. This strategic plan however could not take off due to a lack of the required resources.
“Fully cognizant of the necessity for implementation of these planned activities, we made funding provision for the Lagos Hub within a World Bank IDA Credit facility for Polio Eradication support. Work has commenced in earnest on the construction of the Lagos Hub with the World Bank also supporting oversight of the construction process. I must acknowledge the support of the Honorable Minister of Health in facilitating the negotiations that led to provision of space within the premises of Federal Central Medical Stores Oshodi for the Lagos Hub.”
