The 2022 1st and 2nd rounds Polio Outbreak Response, OBR, Immunisation campaign kicked off the weekend in Lagos State.
Disclosing this in a statement, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Ibrahim A. Mustafa, noted that although Nigeria was certified free from the Wild Polio Virus, WPV, on 25 August 2020, after three consecutive years of zero reported cases.
According to him, there has been an increase in transmission of the new variant of poliovirus in some states of the country due to low routine immunisation coverage occasioned by security challenges and poor access to health care.
“In order to curb this, the Lagos State Government through the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency. NPHCD, with support from partners (WHO , UNICEF, CHAI, Rotary Polio plus. etc) recommend that children 0-5 years receive two drops of the OPV for two rounds irrespective of their previous immunisation status.
“The vaccination teams will be visiting all households, hospitals, schools, churches, mosques, recreational grounds, estates, markets, shopping plazas and other places,” Mustafa said.
The first round of the exercise holds from 9-12 April 2022, while the second round holds from 7-10 May 2022 at 7.00 am daily.
He urged parents, guardians, community and religious leaders to ensure that all eligible children are vaccinated during the campaign.