Kwara Begins Third Round BCU Vaccination

The Kwara Government says it will begin the third round of its ‘Big Catch-Up’ (BCU) vaccination for children between the ages of two and five years on April 12.

The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu disclosed this on Friday in Ilorin while speaking at a one-day Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting.

Elelu, represented by the Director of Community Health Services, Mrs Rukayat Ayodeji, said that the BCU campaign was designed to bridge the immunisation coverage gap and would last till April 17.

According to her, the programme is targeted at zero-dose children and non-compliant people whose children may have missed their scheduled vaccinations.

Vaccine-preventable Diseases
Elelu added that the programme aims to strengthen routine immunisation (RI), which protects children from vaccine-preventable diseases, saves lives, and helps to ensure that all eligible children are fully immunised

She explained further that the BCU vaccination campaign would take place in three low-performing immunisation local government areas such as Ifelodun, Baruten, and Ilorin East.

Also speaking, Dr. Dupe Shittu, the State Mobilisation Officer of the agency, disclosed that the National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDS) for ages zero to five years is scheduled for April 26 to 29.

According to Shittu, the NIPDS are designated to vaccinate children and protect them from Poliomyelitis.

She pointed out that it would increase the immunity of children from Polio, which causes paralysis.

Shittu added that health workers and volunteers would be available in a house-to-house campaign, religious houses, and schools, among others, to administer two drops into the mouths of eligible children.

In his remarks, Mr Isiaka Jimoh, the UNICEF Consultant for Big Catch Up, enjoined all stakeholders to take ownership of the programme and enlighten people on the importance of vaccination.

He stressed the need to support long-term immunisation programmes that continually “catch up” and reach under-immunised (UI) children.

Jimoh stressed that this would contribute to more robust and sustainable public health outcomes in Kwara.

NAN/Shakirat Sadiq