Home News Lagos Set for Mass Immunisation Drive to Combat Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
News

Lagos Set for Mass Immunisation Drive to Combat Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Share
Share

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, is set to launch a comprehensive mass immunisation campaign starting October 19, 2024.

This initiative aims to immunise children and female teenagers over a two-week period, with a focus on those aged nine to 59 months.

Dr. Adetona Akinpelu, Immunisation Programme Coordinator for the Lagos State Public Health Board, announced the campaign during a media dialogue titled “A Media Dialogue to Enhance Routine Immunisation and Reduce Zero Dose Children.”

He emphasised that the initiative aims to protect children from life-threatening diseases such as tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, measles, and HPV.

ATTENTION: Click HERE to join our WhatsApp group and receive News updates directly on your WhatsApp!

“This campaign will target 21 million residents, covering approximately 80 percent of Lagos State’s population and addressing immunity gaps widened by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Akinpelu stated.

He confirmed that a workforce of 63,981 personnel, including 14,218 health workers, will be mobilised for the campaign.

Celine Lafoucriere, Chief of the UNICEF Field Office in Nigeria, highlighted the urgency of the initiative, noting that Nigeria currently has 2.3 million children who have never received any vaccines.

“These zero-dose children are at significant risk of death due to preventable diseases,” she said, urging the media to assist in raising awareness and dispelling misinformation.

The campaign is part of a broader strategy to increase vaccination rates by 50 percent annually and by 30 percent by 2025, particularly in the 100 local government areas identified as having the highest concentration of unimmunised children.

READ ALSO: Protesters Converge in Lagos for #FearlessOctober1 Demonstration

Dr. Adeniyi Adebayo, Assistant Immunisation Programme Officer for the Lagos State Public Health Board, underscored the importance of ensuring every child is vaccinated. He urged parents to take advantage of the free vaccines available in Nigeria to safeguard their children’s health.

 

Aderonke Akinwole, a Social and Behaviour Change Specialist at UNICEF, called for a culturally sensitive approach to counter prevalent misconceptions about vaccines. “Ignorance is never an excuse. Just because someone survived without vaccines doesn’t mean another child will,” Akinwole warned.

 

Share

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Articles
News

Couple Receives 100 Lashes For Engaging In Premarital Sex In Indonesia

A man and a woman were publicly whipped 100 times each on...

News

IWC Western Zone Chairperson Survives Auto Crash, Receives IPF Support for Medical Treatment

The Ijaw Publishers’ Forum, IPF, has paid a solidarity visit to the...

News

Army Chief Oluyede Relocates To Benue With PSOs Over Herdsmen Killings, Attacks

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has relocated...

Niger Workers Opposes Governor Bago's Palliative Committee
News

Niger State Govt Suspends Sallah Festivities Over Mokwa Flood

The Niger State government has directed a low-key Eid-el-Kabir celebration in response...

5win
RocketplayRocketplay casinoCasibom GirişJojobet GirişCasibom Giriş GüncelCasibom Giriş AdresiCandySpinzDafabet AppJeetwinRedbet SverigeViggoslotsCrazyBuzzer casinoCasibomJettbetKmsauto DownloadKmspico ActivatorSweet BonanzaCrazy TimeCrazy Time AppPlinko AppSugar rush