Kwara Govt Vaccinates 2.4m people against COVID-19, Polio, Measles
Kwara state government says it has vaccinated a total number of 2,473,000 individuals and children against COVID-19 disease, oral polio and measles in the last one year.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday at an event marking the World Immunization Week (April 24 and 30, 2022), the executive secretary, Kwara state Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Nusirat Elelu, said that 600,000 individuals were vaccinated against COVID-19 disease, 593,000 children vaccinated against measles, and a total number of 1,280,000 children got oral polio vaccine.
Dr. Elelu, who said that World Immunization Week aimed to highlight the collective action needed and to promote use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease, added that immunization is one of the most successful and cost effective health interventions.
“It has been shown to prevent between two to three million deaths every year and has reduced morbidity and mortality across the world in a safe and cost effective manner”, she said.
Dr. Elelu, who commended Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for his commitment to immunization (both routine and supplemental immunization programmes), said that the state government had also constituted a Task Force on Immunization and Primary Healthcare (PHC) under the chairmanship of the deputy governor, Mr. Kayode Alabi, who she said provided oversight function for immunization activities in the state.
“Similarly, the governor has provided an enabling environment for immunization and immunization activities by making funds available for implementation of immunization campaigns.
“We shall continue to strive to ensure that the vaccines are made available even as His Excellency continue to strive to see that our facilities are upgraded to attract clients and barriers of access are removed for everyone to be able to access these vaccines.
“I also encourage mothers and caregivers to avail their children the opportunities to get vaccinated and all stakeholders to continue sensitization for uptake of vaccines among children and adults”.
Also speaking, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative, Pharmacist Buari Bolaji, congratulated the state government and the agency on efforts made so far in the immunization programmes.
He encouraged mothers to utilise the opportunity of improving primary health care services by visiting nearest primary health care facilities in their domain.
“This year world immunization day also coincides with the African Vaccination Week. The theme of the week is long life for all.
This theme underscores the importance of vaccination which ensures that vaccine provide protection for everyone at everywhere. I congratulate the state government and the agency for this giant stride they are making to ensure that we have improved health care delivery in the state”, he said.
Edited by Felix Ajide
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