The Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency has announced its plans to commence the second round of oral polio vaccination from July 22 to 25. Dr. Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary of the agency, shared this information during her presentation at the 2023 Stakeholders meeting of the State Task Force on Immunisation and Primary Health Care.
The inauguration of the second round of vaccination will be held at the Emir of Lafiagi Palace in the Edu Local Government Area of Kwara, marking the first such event in Kwara North. Dr. Elelu emphasized that bringing the inauguration to Kwara North aims to enhance the involvement of traditional leaders in promoting routine vaccinations for children within their communities.
Dr. Elelu acknowledged the significant progress made in reducing childhood diseases through immunization. However, she stressed the importance of sustaining the achievements in routine immunization and outbreak response across all 16 local government areas of the state.
The executive secretary highlighted that Kwara State emerged as the best-performing state in the Primary Health Care Leadership Challenge (PHC-LCF) among the North Central states, achieving a score of about 80 percent nationwide. She expressed the commitment to ensuring quality care for every child and mother, with a continued focus on improving immunization rates. Dr. Elelu also noted the increasing number of mothers in Kwara receiving healthcare services from hospitals and skilled birth attendants.
Dr. Elelu attributed the success to the dedication of stakeholders, particularly the State Task Force on Immunization. She called for further commitment from the state government and emphasized the need to address security challenges across Kwara communities, recognizing that the issue of insecurity extends nationwide. She urged local government councils to actively strengthen routine immunization within their respective communities across the state.
The Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Kayode Alabi, reaffirmed the government’s determination to ensure quality healthcare for the people. He commended the State Task Force on Immunization for their efforts and encouraged them to continue promoting the health of the population.
Dr. Abubakar Ayinla, the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Health, highlighted the significance of the stakeholders’ meeting in facilitating discussions on enhancing routine immunization in the state. He stressed the importance of collective efforts to improve child and maternal healthcare, ensuring that all children receive the necessary vaccines for their survival.
