Nigeria unveiled its National Routine Immunization Strategic Plan (NRISP) 2013-2015, “outlining a comprehensive strategy to increase access to live-saving vaccines through strengthened routine immunization (RI) systems.” The plan was co-launched by the Nigerian Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu and Mr. Bill Gates in an event hosted by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and attended by traditional and religious leaders, private sector representatives, and development partners, including Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the Sultan of Sokoto.
http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/ivac/about-us/news.html#Nigeria_NRISP_launch_2013

National Routine Immunization Strategic Plan (NRISP) 2013-2015
Executive Summary
This National Routine Immunization Strategic Plan (NRISP) lays out key goals and objectives for Nigeria’s routine immunization (RI) system, and details the strategies that will allow the country to achieve its aims, while recognizing important challenges.

NRISP is not a standalone document, instead it was developed to fit within the National Strategic Health Development Plan 2010-2015 (NSHDP) and expand upon the comprehensive Multi-Year Plan 2011-2015 (cMYP). The NRISP will also operate within and alongside Nigeria’s Saving One Million Lives Initiative (SOML) and other efforts to meet the MDGs. As highlighted in these initiatives, the NRISP is guided by a set of core principles, namely: accountability, efficiency, equity, ownership, integration, sustainability, and transparency.

Within the NRISP, the Strategic Framework enumerates strategies to improve the country’s RI system. Three strategic focal areas have been identified to concentrate efforts to improve the system in practice; these strategies are already in place to varying extents and are recognizable by stakeholders at all levels in Nigeria. They are: Reaching Every Ward (REW), Accountability for RI Framework (AFRIN), and Health System Strengthening.

The Strategic Framework’s strategies are categorized into RI system areas, and outputs, indicators, and responsible parties have been developed for each. A monitoring and evaluation (M&E) process describes a regular reporting structure inclusive of relevant stakeholders, and seeks to ensure that data are available in a timely manner and used in decision making. A system of rewards and sanctions are also suggested to improve accountability.

The NRISP aims to clarify the roles and responsibilities for different levels of government in the execution of the RI system. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA)and partners are responsible for providing policy direction, mobilizing resources to fill gaps, building capacity, providing supportive supervision, and conducting M&E of the RI program. Implementation of this strategic plan and accountability framework will fall on the shoulders of states and local government areas (LGAs). The expectation is that State Primary Health Care Development Agencies (SPHCDAs) will guide LGAs, and LGAs will in turn support health facilities (HFs).

Consequent upon the above, the total budget to implement this plan for the period July 2013 to December 2015 estimated at USD 642,038,476 has been shared among the three tiers of governments. Therefore, 69% will be the responsibility of the federal, 15% that of the states, and 16% will be borne by the local governments. This averages USD 35.41 per child born in Nigeria over the next two and a half years.

Finally, the NRISP was developed through a consultative process that included stakeholders from all levels of government and various facets of society. Commitments were made on behalf of MoH, NPHCDA, states, and other important institutions to take up and implement these recommendations for the unanimously agreed upon purpose of this strategy: protecting the health of Nigeria’s children through equitable provision of RI.