Kwara Begins Polio Immunisation
Kwara Government on Saturday launched new round of polio immunisation for children under the age of five years.
Dr Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (KWSPHCDA), said that the exercise is the second in series, expected to cover every nook and cranny of the state.
Elelu, who said that the immunisation would be conducted from April 20 to April 23, urged parents, religious houses and schools to get the target children vaccinated within the stipulated time.
She explained that “the vaccine is safe. I enjoin parents, caregivers, religious houses, schools, Qur’anic institutions to make eligible children available for vaccination as the teams move from house to house, markets, religious houses and schools.
“Children from zero to five years are expected to be vaccinated, irrespective of their previous vaccination status. The vaccine is safe and does not have an overdose.”
She said poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease that largely affects children under five years, adding that “the virus can be transmitted through the fecal-oral route or, less frequently, by contaminated water or food.
“The virus multiplies in the intestine from where it can invade the nervous system and cause irreversible paralysis.”
The executive secretary said that though Nigeria has been certified polio-free, there is need to sustain the feat by boosting the immunity of eligible children through supplementary and routine immunisation.
She explained that the Kwara Government had continued to partner development partners such as WHO, UNICEF and the NPHCDA to sustain the immune system of citizens.
According to her, at least 2,034 vaccination teams will be going from house to house to carry out the exercise.
She said the agency recorded a huge success during the last polio campaign, which covered at least 1.5 million children of the age bracket across communities, attributing the outcome to support of the state government.
She commended the commitment of development partners and health workers who participated in the first round of the campaign, while seeking improved dedication in the current event.
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