By Chioma Obinna

The Lagos State Government has said 4.3 million children were immunised against childhood vaccine preventable diseases including polio during the March National Immunisation Plus Days, NIPDs, in the State even as it is targeting more four million children in the April NIPDs. Disclosing this last week, Special Adviser on Health to the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Yewande Adeshina said the March NIPDs had 96 percent coverage.

She said the April NIPDs commences 25th through 28th April, and that the Expert Review Committee on Polio Eradication in Nigeria recommended two rounds of NIPDs in March and April 2015 to ensure that two drops of supplemental oral polio vaccine are administered to children aged 0 – 59 months.

“NIPDs campaign is essentially a Polio campaign initiated under the Polio Eradication Initiative in Nigeria which aims to immunise at least 95 percent of children aged 0-59 months with Oral Polio Virus (OPV) in all LGAs, regardless of their previous immunisation status; to reduce zero dose rate, that is children that have never received immunisation before; to increase routine immunisation coverage; and to promote integration of other child survival.

The campaign will involve house-to-house, transit and fixed post teams while children at homes, markets, churches, mosques, major car parks and social event venues would be specifically targeted.

“Lagos State will mount 752 fixed posts, 2,189 house-to-house, and 1,712 transit Teams. Plans have been made to implement activities that would attract children and caregivers to vaccination posts like vaccination post banners, drumming, music, giving of ‘pluses’ to immunised children, amongst others. The hours of service will be between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily for the four days” she explained.

Stressing that the immunisation service is free, Adeshina appealled to parents and caregivers to ensure that all eligible children receive polio vaccine irrespective of their immunisation status when health workers come knocking at their doors.