2.1m Children Currently Unvaccinated in Nigeria – WHO
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said Nigeria still has over 2.1 million zero-dose children who are yet to receive any form of vaccination.
In his speech at the 2-day engagement meeting with religious leaders from Northern Nigeria in Abuja by the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development with support from National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), on Monday, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, urged the federal government to ensure that its collaboration with the traditional institution continues to be nurtured and sustained.
His words: “Your continued advocacy is crucial in reducing immunity gaps, support in crashing the maternal and under-five mortality rate, decreasing disease occurrence, and improving overall well-being, in line with the Government’s renewed commitment through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (HSRII).
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“We still face the issue of many pregnant women not delivering at the health facilities, zero-dose children, with 2.1 million children currently unvaccinated in Nigeria, according to the WUNEIC 2024 report.” .
Molumbo also urged the traditional and religious leaders to continue to promote increase on antenatal services uptake and health facility deliveries, as well as the ongoing zero-dose mapping and immunization recovery efforts through the planned Big Catch-Up Campaign.
He said: “The response to the circulating Variant Polio Virus type 2 (cVPV2) outbreak is progressing steadily with 70 cases reported as of 13 September 2024 in 14 states.
“The Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) Surveillance system has remained sensitive (NP-AFP rate 11.8/100000U15 and Stool 98%) through the implementation of enhanced surveillance improvement plans.
“The quality of vaccination activities improved from 87% in March to 95% in April 2024. Amidst constraints of global vaccine supply, the program continues implementing innovative interventions including Identify Enumerate and Vaccinate (IEV), Targeted Local Response, and In-between Rounds activities to reach chronically missed and under-vaccinated populations”.
