The Lagos State Government has said that no less than 18 million residents are expected to be vaccinated against preventable diseases under its supplementary polio immunization programme, scheduled to start on Saturday.
The Supervising Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board (LSPHCB), Abimbola Bowale, disclosed this while speaking to journalists at a media orientation on supplementary polio immunization.
The media orientation that took place on Monday was organized by the state Ministry of Information and Strategy as a way to raise awareness about the upcoming vaccination.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the immunization exercise, which will be carried out in all 20 local government areas (LGAs) and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs), is being carried out in partnership with the Fund of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Types of vaccines
According to Bowale, 85 percent of people between nine months and 44 years old will receive yellow booster doses, while other vaccines will also be administered.
He added that children between nine months and 18 months will receive the vaccine against measles and HPV, against cervical cancer that covers ages nine to 14 years, and against polio, among other routine immunizations.
He said: “The goal is to achieve herd immunity and the only way to do that is to ensure that no less than 95 per cent of the eligible population receives the measles vaccine and 80 per cent of the eligible population receives the measles vaccine. yellow fever.
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“Vaccination is safe and can also prevent many diseases from killing both children and adults.”
Media support
The official, however, urged journalists to use their platforms to educate and raise awareness about the impact and benefits of these complementary immunizations and safety protocols.
Also the Lagos Immunization Program Coordinator, Akinpelu Adetola, said the upcoming immunization campaign was necessary to address the recurrence of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in the last three years.
He said: “There have been several outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, yellow fever, diphtheria and the recent cholera.
“These outbreaks show an immunity gap in our communities and the easiest way to address these diseases is to conduct a state-wide immunization activity and increase routine immunizations in Lagos,” Adetola said.