The Kwara Government on Tuesday said the state has made significant strides in routine immunization, as over 1 million children were vaccinated in 2025.
Prof. Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency stated this while speaking at the 1st Quarterly Meeting of the Kwara State Taskforce on Immunization in Ilorin.
According to Elelu, in the Polio Outbreak Response, the children were covered in the immunization across the 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
She explained that Moro LGA had the widest coverage of 91 percent, adding that all the wards in the state were visited despite the insecurity challenge.
Elelu however explained that due to the insecurity in some communities including Kaiama LGA, supplemental immunization activities had to be carried out to quickly improve immunity of children.
She observed that the insecurity compromised the community with two confirmed cases of Circulating Variant of Polio Virus 2 (CvPv 2) in Dec. 2025.
Elelu lamented that the increasing insecurity was spreading to more communities.
Mentioning the non- release of LGA counterpart funds in some LGAs, she called for political will and urged the LGA leadership to provide more support for Primary Health Care (PHC) activities in the state.
She reiterated the resolve of the government in ensuring that security architecture is deployed to protect communities and healthcare workers for full immunization exercise for children.
The executive secretary described the quarterly meetings as a statutory engagement of the Agency with other stakeholders in decision making.
She announced that “the National Immunization Plus Days targeting children of zero to nine months will commence soon”.
In his speech, the Kwara Deputy Governor, Mr Kayode Alabi commended the Agency on its activities especially those relating to immunization and primary healthcare.
Alabi however expressed displeasure over the lack of interest shown by the local government chairmen in the state in fully partaking in activities relating to PHC in their respective communities.
He emphasised that the state will not tolerate such actions from any LGA and will continue to give primary healthcare the highest priority.
The Kwara Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina El-Imam, emphasised the critical role of vaccines in preventing diseases.
El-Imam who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Taoheed Abdullahi, observed that progress is being made in protecting children through immunization.
She called for more efforts in ensuring no child is left behind.
“We will continue to focus on strengthening immunization and enhancing engagement to do away with vaccine hesitancy,” she said.
Also speaking, Mr Seun Ogunniyi, Chairman, House Committee on Health and Nutrition, Kwara House of Assembly laid emphasis on the importance of primary healthcare in the state.
Ogunniyi reiterated that the House of Assembly will continue to support activities of the Agency in strengthening immunization.
He pointed out that the Agency is doing well judging by the scorecard on health indices in the state.