Immunisation has been adjudged to be one of the most potent and significant public health interventions of all time.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Friday, during activities commemorating World Immunisation Week 2025, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Professor Nusirat Elelu, stated that immunisation is not only one of the most effective public health interventions but “a fundamental right, a shared responsibility, and an important investment in our future.”
The event saw health experts, caregivers, and medical personnel stage a walk through major roads in Ilorin, the state capital, creating awareness of the importance of vaccines and the role of caregivers in protecting vulnerable children through vaccination.
The Executive Secretary also said that the Kwara State Government, through the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, has joined the rest of the world in celebrating the success of vaccination during World Immunisation Week, observed from 24 to 30 April 2025.
She noted that vaccines have saved over 150 million lives over the past 50 years of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation, reducing infant mortality by 40 per cent and protecting people from more than 30 deadly diseases.
Professor Elelu also stated that World Immunisation Week, themed “Immunisation for All is Humanly Possible”, is celebrated to promote the life-saving power of immunisation. She emphasised that the theme highlights the importance of ensuring that everyone, regardless of age or location, has access to life-saving vaccines.
She stressed that World Immunisation Week aims to sustain global efforts to reach every child and adult with vaccines.
“This includes strengthening national immunisation programmes, addressing vaccine hesitancy, and ensuring equitable access to vaccines, especially for vulnerable populations.
“On this World Immunisation Week, there is a need to renew our commitment to immunisation. We can make a difference by advocating for stronger immunisation programmes, supporting community-based immunisation initiatives, and ensuring that everyone has access to the life-saving power of vaccines.
“As we celebrate this week, let us remember that ‘Immunisation for all is Humanly Possible.’ It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every child and adult has access to the protection they need against vaccine-preventable diseases.”
She urged mothers and caregivers to ensure their children receive life-saving vaccines to protect them against diseases.
Also speaking, the Director of the Primary Healthcare System in the agency, Dr Michael Oguntoye, stated that National Polio Immunisation Plus Day would be marked during the week between 26 and 29 April, adding, “We’re looking at vaccinating about 1.2 million children in Kwara State who are between the ages of zero and five years.”
The health officials noted that the Kwara State Government, under the leadership of Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, has made significant investments in immunisation and the health system generally.
“He inaugurated the State Task Force on Immunisation and Primary Health Care, released funds to support immunisation, and paid relevant counterpart funds. The State Government has also invested in upgrading health facilities and supporting the cold chain system. All these efforts aim to strengthen the immunisation supply chain and enhance the recruitment of human resources for health to ensure adequate service delivery.”
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