By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The Kwara Government has expressed displeasure at the lackadaisical attitude of some council chairmen to routine immunisation of children in their area.
The Deputy Governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, expressed the government’s displeasure at the First Quarterly Meeting of the Kwara State Taskforce on Immunisation, in Ilorin.
Alabi, who was reacting to report of poor support from the councils, said that the government would not tolerate such attitude from any quarter.
He said that the state would continue to give routine immunisation and primary healthcare the highest priority it deserves.
The deputy governor commended the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency on its activities, particularly routine immunisation and boosting primary health care service at the grassroots.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary, Kwara Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, said the state had made significant strides in routine immunisation, as over one million children were vaccinated in 2025.
Elelu said that in the response to polio outbreak in the state, over a million children were covered in the immunisation across the 16 local government areas (LGAs)
According to her, Moro LGA had the widest coverage of 91 per cent, adding that all the wards in the state were visited in spite of security challenges in some parts of the state.
She said that due to the insecurity in some communities including Kiama LGA, supplementary immunisation activities had to be carried out to quickly improve immunity of children.
Elelu said that the security challenges compromised the community with two confirmed cases of Circulating Variant of Polio Virus 2 (CvPv 2) in December 2025.
She raised concern over the increasing insecurity spreading to more communities.
Elelu also cited the none release of LGA counterpart funds in some LGAs, attributing this to lack of political will.
She appealed to the leadership of LGs in the state to provide more support for Primary Health Care (PHC) activities.
Elelu reiterated the resolve of the state government to ensure improved security architecture to protect communities and healthcare workers to enable comprehensive immunisation of children in Kwara.
She described the quarterly meetings as a statutory engagement of the agency with other stakeholders in high decision making.
“The National Immunisation Plus Days targeting zero to nine months will commence soon,” Elelu said.
Also, 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, said that progress had been made in protecting children from mortality through immunisation.
She, however, called for more efforts in ensuring no child is left behind.
“We will continue to focus on strengthening immunisation and enhancing engagement to do away with vaccine hesitancy,” the commissioner said.
Also speaking, Mr Seun Ogunniyi, Chairman House Committee on Health and Nutrition, Kwara House of Assembly, emphasised the importance of primary healthcare service in the state.
He reiterated that the legislative arm would continue to support activities of the agency in strengthening immunisation in the state.
Ogunniyi pointed out that the agency is doing well judging by the health indices in the state.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abdulfatai Beki/Bayo Sekoni
