Kwara begins statewide polio immunisation Saturday

Polio virus

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The Kwara State Government will on Saturday, December 6, commence a statewide Polio Immunisation Campaign across all 16 Local Government Areas as part of renewed efforts to protect children and prevent any resurgence of poliovirus in the state.

This was disclosed in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Friday by the Press Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Bukola Abdulganiyu.

According to the statement, the four-day vaccination exercise, scheduled to run from December 6 to 9, is aimed at ensuring that every eligible child under the age of five receives the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).

“The campaign forms part of the state’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding the health of children and sustaining its polio-free status. The exercise is being carried out with support from development partners and frontline health workers,” AbdulGaniyu said.

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, speaking at an orientation for supervisors and key stakeholders earlier in the week, commended the dedication of health workers and partners involved in the exercise.

She urged the teams to surpass their previous performance, describing the upcoming campaign as “another opportunity to demonstrate excellence, commitment and teamwork.”

Elelu also acknowledged the support of the state government, particularly the health sector investments of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

“Prof. Elelu commended the Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for his robust investments and sustained support in the health sector,” the statement noted, adding that the current administration’s prioritisation of quality healthcare “continues to empower frontline workers and improve the delivery of essential services across communities.”

She reaffirmed the state’s commitment to strengthening its primary healthcare system and working with partners “to ensure that every child in Kwara has the opportunity to live a healthy and productive life.”

Also speaking at the event, the State Coordinator of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Emmanuel Eyitayo, commended the supervisors for their efforts in previous rounds of the campaign.

He urged them to maintain vigilance throughout the exercise, emphasising that accuracy and integrity in data reporting are crucial.

“Dr Eyitayo emphasised the importance of accuracy, transparency, and integrity in data collection and reporting while cautioning against any form of data falsification,” the statement added.

He further called for stringent measures to prevent vaccine wastage, noting that such incidents were recorded in some previous immunisation rounds.

The State Immunisation Officer, Mrs Sarat Yunus, charged field teams to remain proactive and follow all operational guidelines strictly.

Yunus warned that any health personnel who fail to adhere to rules and regulations would face disciplinary action.

“Mrs Yunus stressed the importance of immediately reporting any suspicious activity or misconduct,” the statement read.

She appealed to parents, caregivers, community leaders and residents across the state to cooperate with health workers as they move from house to house during the campaign, reaffirming that immunisation remains a safe and effective method of protecting children from preventable diseases.

Kwara, like several other Nigerian states, has intensified mass vaccination rounds following concerns about pockets of circulating poliovirus variants detected in parts of northern Nigeria.

Public health officials say sustained routine immunisation and supplementary rounds remain essential to prevent outbreaks, especially in rural and hard-to-reach communities.

The state has, in recent years, recorded high coverage in its immunisation campaigns, but health authorities maintain that consistent house-to-house strategies are needed to close existing gaps.

With the latest round, Kwara joins national efforts to ensure that Nigeria maintains its polio-free certification and prevents a reversal of gains made since the eradication of the wild poliovirus in 2020.

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