Kwara targets one million children in polio immunization campaign, sets date for commencement
The Kwara State Government says it has concluded the plan for the commencement of the April round of National Immunization Plus Days campaign across the 16 LGA of the state.
The initiative, amied to boost the immunity of over a million children under five years and protect them against Polio disease, will be starting from Saturday, 26th to Tuesday, 29th April, 2025.
The Executive Secretary, Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KWSPHCDA), Prof. Nusirat Elelu, while disclosing this on Friday during the planning meeting to ascertain the State’s level of preparedness for the campaign, explained that poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease that largely affects children under 5 years of age and the virus can be transmitted through the fecal-oral route or less frequently, by contaminated water or food, revealing that the virus multiplies in the intestine from where it can invade the nervous system and cause irreversible paralysis.
“Though the country is Wild Polio Virus free, there are threats around us as some countries are still isolating the Wild Polio Virus while the circulating virus is also a source of concern”, she added.
The Executive secretary also noted that Kwara State will be implementing the April round alongside other states in the country as scheduled by the National Polio Emergency Operation Centre, emphasising that children from ages 0-5 years are expected to be vaccinated irrespective of their previous vaccination status and stressed that the vaccine is safe, efficacious and does not have overdose.
Prof. Elelu, however, called on parents, caregivers, religious leaders, schools, and Islamic institutions to make eligible children available for vaccination as the teams move from house to house, markets, religious houses, and schools.
The Executive Secretary also said that the State Government will continue to partner with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and development partners, such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund to sustain population immunity in the state, appreciating the support and commitment of the State Government, development partners and health workers, who have been working tirelessly to ensure that Kwara is polio free and sought their continuous dedication as another implementation is around the corner.
