Develops five-year routine immunisation roadmap
The Lagos State government has activated its Ebola response system following reports of new cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, convened in Yaba on September 9, is reviewing preparedness across surveillance, case management, laboratory capacity, and risk communication.
Officials noted that an isolation centre is ready, with training for frontline health workers set to begin immediately. Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, said Lagos is “largely ready,” but urged residents to remain vigilant.
He advised strict hygiene, environmental sanitation, and early reporting of symptoms among travellers from outbreak regions. At Murtala Muhammed International Airport, port health services have tightened screening, with enhanced checks for high-risk passengers.
Immigration, Customs and airport staff are also being sensitised to spot signs of the disease. Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014, and officials say Lagos remains prepared to prevent the virus from re-entering.
Speaking after the meeting, Ogboye, who was represented by the Director of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health in the ministry, Dr. Ismail Abdus-Salam, explained that activation of the IMS is a proactive step given Lagos’ vulnerability as a major gateway with three points of entry.
According to him, Lagos is “largely ready”, with an isolation centre that can accommodate between 14 and 18 beds each for suspected and confirmed cases. He submitted that surveillance, laboratory and IPC systems are functional, while the first batch of training for frontline health workers across all pillars would commence immediately.
Addressing public concerns, Ogbboye urged residents not to panic, stressing that the state government had taken control measures. He added: “The Ebola virus spreads through direct contact with blood, body fluids, or contaminated items of an infected person. Anyone with fever, sore throat, or malaria-like symptoms, who has recently travelled to affected regions, should report immediately to 767 or 112.”
TO advance primary healthcare and improve child survival outcomes, the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (LSPHCB), in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), has convened a three-day residential workshop to develop the state’s five-year Routine Immunisation Roadmap (2026–2030).
The workshop, which ended in Ikeja yesterday, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including Directors from the Primary Health Centre Board (PHCB), Medical Officers of Health, Local Immunisation Officers (LIOs), technical experts, frontline health workers, religious organisations and development partners.
They are co-creating a strategic framework aimed at closing immunisation coverage gaps and ensuring equitable access to vaccines across the state.
Welcoming participants, Permanent Secretary of the LSPHCB, Dr. Ibrahim Akinwunmi Mustafa, spoke about immunisation as more than just a public health intervention.
He described it as a “social contract” and a shared responsibility to protect every child, regardless of background or geography, with life-saving vaccines.
While Lagos has made commendable progress, it acknowledged that immunisation coverage remains uneven, particularly in riverine areas, informal urban settlements, and among mobile populations.
Some local government areas, he noted, still report coverage rates as low as 60 per cent, leaving many children exposed to preventable diseases.
Mustafa called on the participants to see this moment as pivotal. He urged them to take bold, coordinated action that could transform not only the future of immunisation in Lagos, but also serve as a model for other states in the country and beyond.
He reminded all that the outcomes of the workshop would shape both the health of future generations and the strength of the communities they grow up in.
Also speaking, Lagos State Coordinator of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Olisegun Emiju, outlined the broader vision behind the roadmap.
He emphasised that this effort is about more than planning, noting that it is about building a resilient, accountable, and inclusive system that can sustain progress.
Emiju stressed the importance of strong monitoring mechanisms, collaborative leadership, and strategic planning informed by reliable data.
Reflecting on recent experiences, including challenges faced during the rollout of the HPV vaccine in 2023, the coordinator highlighted the need for robust community engagement and consistent public trust to overcome vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.
Representing one of the key technical partners, Dr Hadley Ikwe, Director of Vaccines at Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), underscored the strategic importance of Lagos in Nigeria’s immunisation landscape. With its size, diversity, and unique logistical challenges, Lagos plays a central role in shaping national outcomes, he noted.
Ikwe encouraged participants to move beyond current challenges and think ambitiously about the future.
If Lagos succeeds, he observed, the momentum could inspire and guide similar efforts across the federation.
The roadmap development process is being jointly led by the LSPHCB and CHAI, in close collaboration with the NPHCDA and a broad coalition of development partners, technical experts, and civil society organisations.
Beyond boosting vaccine coverage, the initiative aims to strengthen the entire primary healthcare system in ways that would accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
