Prof. Oladimeji Bolarinwa of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) has called on the Federal Government to effectively engage communities to reduce vaccine hesitancy.

Mr Bolarinwa, speaking during an interview on Tuesday in Ilorin, warned that vaccine hesitancy remained a major challenge to public health in Nigeria.

Mr Bolarinwa, who teaches in the Faculty of Clinical Sciences at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, noted that despite various interventions, immunisation coverage continued to lag.

He emphasised the need for context-specific strategies informed by local research to boost vaccine demand and acceptance.

He said, “Community leaders are the gatekeepers, often neglected, least researched, yet most important.’’

He defined vaccine hesitancy as the refusal of immunisation despite available services and highlighted the need for early engagement with communities.

Also, Mr Bolarinwa advocated local production of drugs and vaccines in Nigeria.

He urged the government to copy Egypt’s initiative to localise pharmaceutical manufacturing to boost self-sufficiency, reduce reliance on imports, and strengthen the supply chain.

He further stressed the importance of sensitising Nigerians to support and trust locally made pharmaceuticals, calling for early engagement through local networks.

Mr Bolarinwa advised governments at all levels to create strong financial strategies, optimise existing tools, and build capacity to address pressing health challenges.

(NAN)