The Nigerian government has said the vaccination for meningitis is completely free throughout the country.
The government called on Nigerians to report any health centre or civil society organization who extort money from people for the vaccine to the nearest law enforcement agency.
The Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, said in a statement on Friday that the vaccination against CSM, like other vaccination in the National Immunization schedule, has been paid for by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The Federal Government had spent billions of naira to procure, store, maintain and distribute such vaccines to all parts of the country.
“Under no circumstances should any health worker demand for money from members of the public for such services,’’ he warned.
According to him, the vaccines’ preventable diseases are covered free-of-charge under the National Immunisation schedule which includes Bacillus Calmette Guerin – (BCG), Poliomyelitis and Hepatitis B.
Others are Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus toxoid -(Pentavelent vaccines), Haemophilus influenza type B, Pneumococcal vaccines, Inactivated Polio virus vaccines, Measles, Yellow Fever and of course, Meningitis vaccines.
