The Kwara Government on Thursday said it would begin house-to-house National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) polio campaign from Nov. 7 to Dec. 5 across the state.
Prof. Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said this at a meeting of the State Task Force on Immunisation and Primary Health Care (PHC) Service Delivery.
Elelu said that the programme was organised to review routine immunisation, Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) and other PHC interventions.
She explained that the second round of MNCHW would be held in November, noting that the exercise is held triannually, with the first round held in February.
On routine immunisation, she said the state recorded 99 per cent completeness for fixed sessions and 96 per cent for outreach sessions.
According to her, all Local Government Areas (LGAs) conducted more than 90 per cent of planned fixed sessions while 13 LGAs conducted more than 90 per cent of planned outreaches.
She explained that Penta-3 coverage, an indicator for fully immunised children, has improved to 89 per cent from less than 49 per cent in 2019, with Penta-2 at 85 per cent and Penta-1 at 93 per cent.
She said that the Penta-3 vaccine was the third dose of the five-in-one pentavalent routine immunisation given to babies at 14 weeks of age in Nigeria.
“The improvement accounted for reduction in polio incidence, while uptake of second dose of measles at 15 months remained a challenge in some settlements in five LGAs,” she said.
Elelu further disclosed that no fewer than one million children were vaccinated during the month of May round of Supplementary Immunisation Activities.
On MNCHW, she said 279,558 children were reached with Vitamin A during the last round, representing 45 per cent.
The executive secretary, however, observed that deworming coverage was low at two per cent due to unavailability of deworming tablets.
She explained that school-based interventions were being explored to improve deworming coverage.
She also noted that Antenatal Care attendance in PHCs rose to 173,112 between January and August, compared to 94,276 recorded throughout 2020.
“Deliveries by skilled birth attendants in PHCs rose to 22,095 as at August, compared to 8,000 in the whole of 2020, representing over 250 per cent increase,” she said.
Similarly, Elelu said the state has commenced optimised outreaches to the Woro community in Kaiama LGA, where displaced residents are returning.
She added that there would be trans-border vaccination to reach children in transit settlements along the state’s perimeters.
She, however, said insecurity remains a concern, and the way forward is to develop and localise LGA-specific plans in collaboration with security agencies.
In his response, the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Kayode Alabi, commended health workers and development partners for improved immunisation and PHC delivery in the state.
Alabi described the improvement as a reflection of government investment, commitment of frontline health workers, and effective collaboration with partners, traditional leaders and security agencies.
Alabi, Chairman of the State Task Force on Immunisation, urged that every household be reached and every eligible child receive the polio vaccine.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the World Health Organisation representative in Kwara, Dr Emmanuel Eyitayo, said priority must be given to reaching every zero-dose and under-immunised child.
He called for sustained vaccine availability, improved data accuracy and use, and stronger supportive supervision.
Eyitayo also advised that every PHC should provide dependable, safe and respectful services.
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