UNICEF, Nigeria prioritise immunisation in 100 LGs, aiming 15% increase

With 2.3 millionchildrenunimmunised in Nigeria, the United Nations Children, UNICEF, has called for collaboration to accelerate efforts to prioritise immunisation in 100 Local government Areas in Nigeria’s 18 states, saying, “Vaccination essential to children’s health”.

To this end, the Lagos State government in collaboration with UNICEF, will in the coming months vaccinate 21 million persons between 0 and 44 years against measles, yellow fever, and the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), among others.

Speaking in Lagos, the Chief of the UNICEF Field Office for the Southwest, said immunisation is a fundamental right of a child, hence, no child should be left unimmunised.

The UN body and the Federal government are targeting to increase vaccination rates by 15 per cent annually, to reach 30 per cent more children by 2025.

Noting that over 2.3 million Nigerian children, particularly in hard-to-reach and marginalised areas, are yet to receive any form of vaccination, she decried the severe impact of unimmunised children, calling for urgent and concerted efforts to close the gap. She said collective action is key to the success of the immunization drive.

While acknowledging the media’s role in amplifying immunisation messages, she said: “We need your influence to catalyze action and share our successes. Together, we can build a resilient health system. By working together, we can ensure every child in Nigeria gets the life-saving vaccines they need to thrive.”

LASG set to vaccinate 21 million Lagosians against measles, others

Also speaking, the Immunisation Programme Coordinator for the Lagos State Public Health Board, LSPHBA, Dr Adetona Akinpelu disclosed that plans have been concluded to vaccinate 21 million Labosians between ages 0 and 44 against measles, yellow fever, and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), among others.

Akinpelu who spoke at a two-day media dialogue with the theme “Achieving the Health Sector SDGs for over Two Million Children at Risk of Death in Nigeria,” announced that the exercise will begin on October 19, 2024.

He explained that the exercise is designed to bridge the gaps in immunity in the state caused by gaps in the vaccination schedule in the past few years.

Akinpelu explained that the two-week massive immunisation campaign, involving 63,981 personnel is aimed at combating rising cases of vaccine-preventable diseases in the Lagos state.

“We need to bridge the immunity gap in the past two to three years, including the lockdown time when we had the COVID-19 pandemic. It created gaps in vaccinations. And we have started seeing the ripple effects because we’ve had quite several outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in the state.

“So the target of this campaign is basically for us to vaccinate the citizens against measles, against yellow fever, and also to ensure that our girls yet to get their HPV vaccine also use that as an opportunity to get the vaccinations.”

He said for the measles vaccine, they are looking at children from the ages of 9 to 59 months.

“This is a unique opportunity for those that have not gotten the first dose of the vaccine to get it, for those that have not gotten a second dose, which is the booster dose, to also get it, and also for the state to achieve herd immunity.

“For yellow fever, the target age range is actually from nine months to 44 years. And if you look at that, that gives us about 80 per cent of the state’s population, amounting to about 21 million. That is our target for eligible persons to be vaccinated.”

He explained that the HPV vaccine is the first line of defence in combating cervical cancer, a deadly disease, and therefore urged parents to ensure their daughters, aged 9 and above, receive the vaccine.

He said it was an opportunity for Lagos and Nigeria as a whole to benefit from the HPV vaccine, which has proven effective in reducing cervical cancer incidence in countries where it is routinely administered.

He said vaccination is the first step of disease prevention.

On his part, Assistant Immunisation Program Coordinator, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Adebayo Adeniji alerted that unvaccinated individuals could spread infectious diseases.

“People are giving birth but not allowing their children to be vaccinated, which could eventually pose a national health crisis,” he said.

He stressed the dangerous trend of children missing out on these essential vaccinations, noting that the government provides them free of charge at designated Primary Health Care Centers.

UNICEF’s Social Behaviour Change Communication Specialist, Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole, said factors such as fear of side effects, lack of time, and economic concerns prevent many parents from vaccinating their children.

She said UNICEF will continue to invest in making vaccines available while working to educate communities about their importance.