Lagos State and Save the Children International (SCI) have pledged to work together to under-immunised and unimmunised children in Ikorodu and Alimosho local councils in the state are immunised and that no child at any time is not immunised in the state.
The two parties stated this during the week at the flag off of the global immunization week in Ikorodu pledging to work to ensure that under-immunised and un-immunised children are reached with vaccines.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Country Director of SCI, Jane MbagiMutua, stated that no child should die before their fifth birthday from preventable causes and disease and immunization is one of the ways of preventing those deaths.
“We are committed to every child receives their doses of vaccines. As we kick off immunization week ,we are excited that we can push forward. As the data shows us, 80 per cent of children have been immunized but we still have 20 per cent that either not immunized or under immunised. That is the basis of our BOOST project to identify and develop strategies to combat and reach the last child.”
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Ibrahim Akinwunmi Mustafa, observed that immunisation remains one of the most cost-effective public health interventions, saving millions of lives every year.
“However, in Lagos State, a concerning number of children remain unvaccinated or under-vaccinated. In recent years, Nigeria has made commendable progress in its fight against vaccine-preventable diseases. Yet, Lagos-one of the most densely populated states in the country-continues to record gaps in immunisation coverage.
“With the state’s rapid urbanisation and influx of unregistered migrants, many children are falling through the cracks of the health system. This has contributed to pockets of zero-dose populations, putting the entire community at risk.
“The risk of a vaccine preventable disease outbreak in Lagos, though previously interrupted, remains a public health concern.”
Circulating vaccine-derived polio-virus continues to pose a threat, especially in areas with poor sanitation and low immunization coverage.
“Every child who misses their scheduled vaccines adds to the community’s vulnerability. Incomplete immunisation schedules not only expose individual children to diseases like measles, diphtheria, pertussis, and polio but also weaken herd immunity-allowing once-eradicated diseases to resurface.
“A child’s first line of defense against life-threatening illnesses begins with timely and complete routine immunization. When a child misses one or more doses, the protective shield is weakened. The consequences range from increased susceptibility to infections, long-term disabilities, and, in severe cases, preventable death. Beyond health, missed immunisations can contribute to economic hardship for families, burdening the health system and threatening national development goals.
“As a critical partner in child health and immunization, The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Save The Children and other partners have been working alongside the Lagos State government through the Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board to strengthen routine immunisation systems, bridge coverage gaps, and build trust in vaccines.”
Project Manager and Advocacy Coordinator of the BOOST project in Lagos State, Dr Itunu Dave-Agboola, said the project’s goal is to eliminate zero dose in the long run in Lagos State.
She added that during the project, the state hopes to ensure that it reaches children that have never been vaccinated or did not complete their immunisation schedule.
