By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The Kwara Government will on April 12th commence Round-three Big Catch Up (BCU) vaccination for children between the ages of two years and five years.
Prof. Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency stated this on Friday in Ilorin while speaking at a One-day Stakeholders Engagement Meeting.
Elelu who was represented at the programme by the Director Community Health Services, Mrs Rukayat Ayodeji stated that the BCU campaign was designed to bridge the gap in immunization coverage and will round up till 17th of April.
According to her, this is particularly for zero dose children and those that are non- compliant people, whose children may have missed their scheduled vaccinations.
Elelu added that the programme aims to strengthen Routine Immunization (RI) which protects children from vaccine preventable diseases, save lives and help to ensure that all eligible children are fully immunized.
She explained further that the BCU vaccination campaign will take place in three low performing immunization LGAs such as Ifelodun, Baruten and Ilorin East.
Also speaking, Dr Dupe Shittu, the State Mobilization Officer of the Agency disclosed that the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDS) for the ages zero to five years, will commence by April 26th to 29th.
According to her, the NIPDS are designated to vaccinate children and protect them from the poliomyelitis.
Shittu pointed out that this will increase the immunity of children from polio which causes paralysis.
She added that health workers and volunteers will be available in a house to house campaign, religious houses and Schools, among others to administer two drops into the mouth of eligible children.
Also speaking, Mr Isiaka Jimoh, the UNICEF Consultant for Big Catch Up, enjoined all stakeholders to take ownership of the programme and enlightened people on the importance of vaccination.
He called for the need to support long-term immunization programs that continually “catch up” and reach under-immunized (UI) children.
Jimoh noted that this will contribute to more robust and sustainable public health outcomes in Kwara.
