The Kwara State Government, in collaboration with development partners, has commenced the In-Between Round Immunisation Activity (IBRA) across 1,014 settlements in 128 wards of the state.
The exercise, scheduled to end on Sunday, July 5, is part of government’s efforts to close immunity gaps and interrupt poliovirus transmission.
The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KWSPHCDA), Professor Nusirat Elelu, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin, the state Capital.
Professor Elelu explained that the In-Between Round Immunisation Activity (IBRA) is a targeted vaccination intervention conducted between major immunisation campaign rounds to vaccinate children who were missed during previous campaigns and to strengthen immunity in high-risk communities.
According to her, the intervention is designed to rapidly close immunity gaps and reduce the risk of continued poliovirus transmission.
She noted that the objectives of the exercise include reaching children missed during previous vaccination rounds, improving vaccination coverage in poorly performing settlements, reducing the number of missed children, strengthening population immunity against poliovirus, and interrupting poliovirus transmission in high-risk communities.
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According to the Executive Secretary, the intervention will focus on settlements with recent poliovirus detection, communities with zero contacts recorded during recent campaigns, poorly covered settlements, high-risk migrant and nomadic populations, as well as settlements identified through surveillance and campaign performance data.
She further stated that the exercise targets children aged 0–59 months and urged all parents and caregivers to cooperate with health workers by making their children available for vaccination throughout the four-day exercise.
Professor Elelu emphasised that the oral polio vaccine is safe, effective, and free.
She encouraged parents and caregivers to ensure every eligible child receives the vaccine, regardless of their previous immunisation status, as every dose contributes to protecting children and keeping Kwara State free from poliovirus.
