As part of the efforts to ensure the ramp up of immunization in every nooks and crannies of the State, the Kwara State Government, in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (KWSPHCDA) and other Partners are set to commence the third round of the Big Catch-Up vaccination campaign, which is scheduled to hold from Saturday to Thursday.
This is to bridge immunity gaps among children who may have missed their scheduled routine immunization, especially from the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Professor Nusirat Elelu, disclosed this today during a meeting with the Staff of the Agency and Partners in her office.
Prof. Elelu noted that the Big Catch-Up campaign is to strengthen routine immunization and protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases, an exercise which will be implemented in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) with a high number of unimmunized children in Kwara State, namely, Baruten, Ilorin East, and Ifelodun LGAs.
She stressed that immunization is one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions, which has been shown to prevent millions of deaths every year and has reduced morbidity among vulnerable groups.
The Executive Secretary reiterated that this Big Catch-up campaign is the third round in the series, adding that the exercise will take place in health facilities and outreach posts in every settlement of the 3 LGAs.
Prof. Elelu enjoined all parents, caregivers, religious leaders, schools, and Islamic institutions to cooperate with the State Government by making all eligible children available for vaccination, stressing that the campaign is targeted at all children aged 0-5 years who might have missed out on any of their previous doses of vaccine.
The Executive Secretary reiterated that the vaccines are safe and efficacious, as such parents should protect their children from unnecessary sufferings from diseases, as the State Government has made interventions available at no cost to prevent diseases among children, saying that the Kwara State Government will continuously do all that is necessary to protect the health of all residents, especially, mothers and children.
Credit: Alade Opeyemi
