The Kwara Government has commenced the Routine Immunisation Vaccine Catch-up across the state’s 16 local government areas (LGAs), an official said on Friday in Ilorin.
Dr. Michael Oguntoye, the state’s Director of Primary Health Care System who disclosed this, explained that state officials had been meeting on the integrated health campaign across the LGAs.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the routine vaccination was for children aged zero to 59 months across the nearest health facilities and vaccination posts in Kwara.
“Special emphasis will be placed on three LGAs which have not reached the pass mark in the previous immunisation exercise in the state,” the Director told newsmen on the sidelines of the stakeholders meeting on the routine immunisation.
He listed Ilorin East, Ifelodun and Baroten as the LGAs concerned.
Oguntoye explained that these areas recorded a significant population of children who missed the vaccination due to a number of reasons, including COVID-19.
He however noted that the listed LGAs have children with the potential to re-infect other children and spread life-threatening diseases to them.
Oguntoye observed that some citizens, especially fathers, were still posing a challenge to effective immunisation campaign in the state.
“Parents go as far as requesting for palliatives and incentives before allowing their children to get immunised,” he said.
The Director however stated that the vaccines were free for all those in the country, in spite of being very expensive for the Federal Government to acquire.
“Immunisation is the most celebrated public health interventions across the world.
“Though immunisation is coming to people free, government is not getting it free. The government pays for this vaccine,” he said.
Oguntoye noted that each single dose of vaccine to a child cost above N70,000.
“But the free administration of the vaccines to children is all part of the dividends of democracy,” he pointed out.
The Director went on to note that each LGA in the state have their peculiar problems they pose to the immunisation campaign.
“The Ministry of Health has however ensured that these challenges will be mitigated.
“However, due to a number of factors like ignorance, low awareness and false rumours, a lot of mothers and caregivers or even fathers prevent their children from being vaccinated.
“About 60 percent of diseases are preventable with immunisation. Vaccines save lives and prevent out-of-pocket expenditures by the family,” he said.
Oguntoye also warned that those who refuse to allow their children get immunised are letting their children get sick and overburden the healthcare sector.
“By preventing their children from getting immunised, they increase chances of poverty in the country, as money that should be spent elsewhere is used in the treatment of diseases.
“The vaccines prevent diseases, such as tuberculosis, titera, pertussis, tetanus and pneumonia which is one of the leading causes of death in this age group.”