The Kwara government says over one million children across the 16 local government areas of the state will be vaccinated under the polio vaccination campaign.

Nusirat Elelu, the executive secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, stated this on Tuesday in Ilorin during the implementation of a three-day Local Immunisation Day (LID).

According to Ms Elelu, 300,000 children will be vaccinated under the LID, while the polio vaccination campaign also targets over one million children under two.

“The polio vaccination campaign, which will commence from October 26 to October 29, is a round of outbreak responses to circulating mutant variants of polio.

“This campaign is meant to prevent childhood paralysis due to the polio virus. All children 0–5 years old are expected to be vaccinated irrespective of their previous vaccination status.

“The vaccine is safe, efficacious and does not have an overdose.

“Immunisation provides protection against life-threatening vaccine-preventable diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, diarrhoea, influenza, meningitis, and cancers and can reduce most post-neonatal under-five mortality,” she said.

The executive secretary also explained that the three-day routine LID immunisation, which commenced on Monday and would end on Wednesday, would protect children under two years.

She noted that the immunisation would take place across all healthcare facilities and outreach posts.

“All parents, caregivers, religious houses, schools, and Quranic institutions should make eligible children available for vaccination as the team moves from houses to markets, religious houses and schools,” she said.

(NAN)