Polio Vaccination: Kwara State Government Flags Off NIPDs Kwara has not recorded any incidence of polio disease in recent years - Elelu

The Kwara State Government has flagged off the National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) campaign in a continued pursuit of the drive aimed at strengthening the immunity of the children and sustaining the protective mechanism against the incidence of polio disease in the

state.

The flag off ceremony which had several traditional leaders in attendance, was convened at the palace of His Eminence, Dr Ibrahim Zulu Gambari, signalling the commencement of the vaccination exercise for children aged between 0 to 59 months, irrespective of their previous immunization status.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KWSPHCDA), Dr. Nusirat Elelu reaffirmed the  commitment of Kwara State at strengthening the immunization initiative, describing it as the most cost-effective measure to reduce infant and child mortality.

While reiterating the Agency's dedication to providing quality healthcare services, Elelu thanked the traditional leaders for their continuous support, which she said was instrumental to the successes attained in the previous campaigns.

" We appreciate our fathers for their continuous support to ensure massive uptake of vaccines among our eligible children. The synergy of the Agency with our traditional institutions remains the cornerstone of the successes of our health programs. As such, we will continue to engage you and seek your fatherly support on every health intervention for the benefit of our people. "

Speaking further, the Executive Secretary expressed assurances on the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, urging the traditional leaders to complement the effort of government to arrest the wave of misinformation being peddled to deter children from accessing these important health interventions.

" The choice of the palace for the flag off ceremony underscores our desire to deepen community involvement and deliver an inclusive immunization campaign. We urge you to join us in the fight to curtail disinformation fabricated by mischievous individuals to discourage people from taking advantage of this health intervention. "

On his own part, the State Coordinator of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Salisu commended the KWSPHCDA for the high coverage achieved in the previous exercise, enjoining parents and caregivers to avail their children of the opportunity of the vaccination.

In his address, the Baba Isale of Ilorin, Alhaji Abdullahi Sodiq, urged the people to disregard unfounded rumour and take maximum benefit of the exercise to rid the communities of preventable diseases.

The dignitaries at the event include, Balogun Gambari, Alhaji Aliyu Muhammed Adebayo, Balogun Fulani, Alhaji Abubakar Sidiq Atiku Fulani, Balogun Ajikobi, Alhaji Isiaka Balogun Ajikobi, Baba Isale of Ilorin, Alhaji Abdullahi Sadiq, Makama of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Oniye, Representatives of Development Partners such as WHO, UNICEF, NPHCDA and a host of others.

The Immunization exercise is scheduled to commence from 11th to 14th November 2023