Call for strengthened routine immunisation amid resurgence

As Nigeria marked this year’s World Immunisation and National Polio Week, the United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) and other stakeholders have called for urgent action to eradicate polio, amid its resurgence in Lagos.

The Chief of UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucriere, called for renewed political commitment and community action to strengthen routine immunisation in Lagos State, warning that a resurgence of polio poses a serious threat to children across the region.

Speaking at the World Immunisation Week and Polio Awareness Walk, themed: ‘Humanly possible: Saving lives through immunisation,’ Lafoucriere lamented that about two million Nigerian children have never received a single vaccine dose, despite decades of global progress in immunisation.

“Right here in Lagos, we are detecting a resurgence of polio,” the UNICEF Chief said, blaming the development on low immunisation coverage, poor sanitation, and malnutrition, among others.

She emphasised the life-saving power of vaccines, saying immunisation has saved over 150 million lives since 1974, and the global use of the oral polio vaccine alone has prevented 24 million cases of paralysis.

“Before the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, 1,000 children were paralysed every day. Thanks to collective action, we have achieved a 99.9 per cent reduction in polio cases. But we are not done yet,” Laforcriere stated.

She also called for renewed efforts in health education, saying the challenge is no longer awareness but belief.

She said: “Everybody is aware, but does everybody truly believe in the validity of vaccines? I don’t think so,”

On her part, the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who flagged-off the campaign, noted that immunisation is not a privilege, but a fundamental right of every child.

“Let us make a collective pledge today: That no child in Lagos will suffer from a disease we can prevent. That we will reach the unreached. That we will end polio, once and for all,” she stated.

“We’re not just here to walk. We are here to advocate, educate our communities, debunk myths, and ensure that every single child is protected from vaccine-preventable diseases,” she said.

Sanwo-Olu reiterated Lagos State’s commitment to ensuring access to vaccines for every child, particularly those missed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Referencing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES Plus agenda, she stated: “We are not going to leave any child behind. We are going to find them, reach the unreached, and do it again and again until polio is history.”
She noted that Lagos State has remained polio-free for the past two years, underscoring the impact of political will in achieving health milestones.
“In synergy with the Ministry of Health, we will continue to champion advocacy and mobilise resources at all levels — local, state, and national — to protect every child,” she added.
She announced that the National Immunisation Plus Days will take place from Saturday, May 3, to Tuesday, May 6.
“Children aged 0 to 59 months will receive two doses of oral polio vaccine, free of charge,” she said, urging parents to bring their children, especially zero-dose children—those who missed vaccinations during the pandemic. “We’ve done it before; we’ll do it again. We will find them,”
Also speaking, World Health Organisation’s (WHO) State Coordinator, Dr. Chineye Okafor, said though Lagos has not recorded any vaccine-derived polio cases since 2023, challenges persist.
“We still have children in hard-to-reach areas. WHO will continue to support the state through surveillance and technical assistance, but we need more domestic investment to maintain progress,” she said.