Korede Abdullah in Lagos
Enugu State has kicked off an immunization catch-up campaign to vaccinate over 100,000 children who missed vital vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the State Immunization Officer at the Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ESPHDA), Dr. Chime Chinyere, on Saturday, the campaign focuses on addressing the decline in immunization coverage between 2020 and 2021.
“We have about 100,000 children that we are looking at, but the way we planned is that we may not actually cover all of them at the same time. So we are targeting about 65% at the first round, then the second round we finish up,” Dr. Chinyere explained.
The initiative is supported by development partners such as UNICEF and will focus not only on children who missed vaccines but also on zero-dose children—those who have never received any vaccinations. Health workers will partner with community leaders and stakeholders to ensure the success of the campaign.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has rolled out a micro-plan to reach affected communities across five Local Government Areas in the state. This strategic approach aims to ensure that the campaign effectively targets the areas most in need of immunization.
Dr. Chinyere expressed optimism about the campaign’s impact, noting, “With the support of development partners, health officials are confident that the campaign will help restore immunization coverage and protect Nigerian children from vaccine-preventable diseases.” The first phase of the campaign will target 65% of the children, with a second phase scheduled to complete the vaccination of all eligible children.
