The Kwara State Government is to vaccinate about 1.2 million children in the 16 local government areas for the 2026 mass vaccination on poliomyelitis.
Subsequently, the state has intensified campaigns across rural communities for mass vaccination of all eligible children from zero to 59 months old.
Kwara recorded two confirmed cases of Circulating Variant of Polio Virus 2 (CvPv 2) in Dec. 2025, in Kaiama Local Government, and an additional case in Jan. 2026.
Prof. Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary, Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency who spoke at the weekend, at the commencement of the Immunization Campaign in Afon, Asa Local Government Area, said government is committed to ensuring every child is saved from Poliomyelitis.
Elelu said the government in collaboration with all development partners have put in place all necessary life-saving strategies in protecting the children.
She recalled that Asa LGA in the past was a hot spot of non-compliance and vaccine hesitancy, but massive progress has been recorded in the community as the people now support government healthcare intervention.
Elelu urged all community leaders as well as religious leaders to continue to support government intervention on immunization so as to achieve zero status for polio.
The executive secretary also pledged government’ efforts to continue to revamp and renovate primary healthcare centres and general hospitals across the state.
In his speech, Dr Lukman Ahmed, the Health Officer, of the United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF), disclosed that due to the efforts of Kwara Government, the state came second in the just concluded “Identifying, Enumeration and Micro Plan” across the nation.
Ahmed explained that vaccination is of utmost important in the country in ensuring that Nigeria gets back to the number of countries certified polio-free.
On his part, Dr Usman Danlami, the UNICEF representative in Kwara
said that with commitment of all stakeholders, all children would be protected from the disease.
“UNICEF will continue to give all the support including technical assistance, monitoring, mobilisation and countering disinformation,” Danlami said.
He urged the community leaders to support the immunization exercise across all the LGAs in the state.
In his address, the Chairman of Asa LGA, Alhaji Shehu Amasa appealed to all citizens of the communities to support the vaccination exercise to prevent children from the killer disease.
“We must not deviate from world class standard practice in administration of the vaccine and other drugs in our practices.
“Our healthcare workers must show high level of depth, commitment, perseverance and resilience in the discharge of their responsibilities to the people,” Amasa said.
The District Head of Afon, Alhaji Kolapo Hannafi pledged to ensure all children in the community are immunized.
Hannafi commended the State government for the life saving intervention.