Advancing Vaccine Safety in Nigeria: A Landmark in Surveillance Strengthening
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by
AFENET
AFENET Nigeria, with support from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has achieved a major milestone through the Vaccine Safety Project by enhancing the country’s capacity to monitor and respond to Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) and other Vaccine-Related Events (VREs). A pivotal highlight was the successful Vaccine Safety Stakeholders Engagement Meeting, which convened national and subnational actors—including FMoH, NPHCDA, NAFDAC, NCDC, state health authorities (State Epidemiologists and State Immunization Officers, AFENET Nigeria Team and US-CDC in the bid to strengthen collaborative action. The project also conducted baseline assessments across seven states, trained and deployed field assessors, and interviewed over 2,000 respondents at the National, State, LGA, Health Facility and Community Levels, providing the first subnational snapshot of vaccine safety practices and identifying critical gaps in the surveillance and response system.
These efforts have laid the foundation for evidence-based improvements in AEFI and VRE surveillance and reinforced public trust in immunization programs. As AFENET celebrates 20 years of public health leadership, the Vaccine Safety Project stands as a powerful reflection of its ongoing commitment to innovation, system strengthening, and resilient, data-driven vaccine safety monitoring across Nigeria.