The Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN) has raised concern over ‘zero-dose’ children, who have never been immunised, and predicts that vaccine coverage may likely decline further in the months to come as a result of the current socio-economic and security challenges, especially in areas that recently witnessed natural disasters.
  
In a statement signed by its President, Dr Ekanem Ekure, the association also raised fears over the gradual return of severe cases of malnutrition and re-emergence of previously controlled infectious diseases such as measles, diphtheria and cholera.
   
It reported that high proportions of Nigerian children are either out of school, engage in child labour or experience teenage marriage amid pervasive addictions among adolescents and youths.
  
While appreciating the huge support received from government and international collaborators on Human Papillomavirus vaccine, PAN urged governments to double their efforts in ridding the country of insecurity.
  
Ekure also encouraged government at all levels to improve funding of the National Health Insurance Scheme and widen its scope, particularly for children, whose parents are not employees of the state.

“This will contribute to economic stability, allow better family finances and improve school enrolment,” she said. The PAN boss also congratulated Nigeria and relevant stakeholders for the successful eradication of the wild poliovirus, and hoped that other killer vaccine-preventable diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhoea would equally be tackled with greater vigour. She tasked government to further stabilise the currency and the purchasing powers of families.