A polio survivor, Mrs. Ann Obehi Ojugo, has appealed to health authorities and caregivers to ensure that no child is left without life-saving vaccines, sharing her personal experience as a reminder of the consequences of missed immunization.
Speaking in Benin City, Ojugo recalled contracting polio as a child because her parents were unaware of the importance of vaccination.
“I was just a child when I fell sick. My parents did not know about immunization. By the time help came, it was too late. I have lived with this ever since. Please, do not let another child go through this,” she said.
Her appeal comes as health officials continue efforts to identify and vaccinate “zero-dose” children—those who have never received a routine vaccine—in Edo State.
According to immunization data reviewed ahead of African Vaccination Week 2026, some communities recorded as many as 76 per cent of children without a single routine vaccine, while vaccination coverage remained particularly low in parts of Orhionmwon Local Government Area.
To address the gap, the Edo State Government, through the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Gavi, John Snow, Inc. (JSI), and other stakeholders to expand routine immunization services in underserved communities.
The intervention involved data-driven planning, community outreach, home visits, and engagement with caregivers to improve awareness and vaccine acceptance.
During African Vaccination Week, held from April 24 to 30, 2026, health workers vaccinated 3,801 infants aged 0–11 months and 789 children aged 12–23 months. An additional 297 children completed their third dose of the pentavalent vaccine.
The outreach also provided vitamin A supplements to more than 700 children, screened children for malnutrition, and administered HPV vaccines to 239 girls, with no serious adverse events reported.
Director of Disease Control and Immunization at the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Efeomon Eseigbe, described the exercise as a major step toward improving access to essential healthcare services.
Despite the progress, officials say more work remains, with 33 wards yet to be reached. New outreach campaigns are planned across more than 4,300 settlements as authorities intensify efforts to ensure every eligible child receives routine immunization.
Health experts say expanding immunization coverage remains critical to preventing diseases such as polio, measles and diphtheria, while strengthening Nigeria’s primary healthcare system and advancing the country’s commitment to the Immunization Agenda 2030.
