… As Nigeria Has Second Highest Zero-Dose Children Globally
Cross section of participants at the workshop in Lagos recently.
Based on research findings by many notable organisations like the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, GAVI, UNICEF among others, it has been discovered that Nigeria still accounts for over 2.2 million zero-dose children, the second-highest globally.
SCI is part of a consortium working to ensure that all children are immunized and advocate for increased government investment in health and nutrition across the world.
Hence, there’s a dire need for all hands of major stakeholders including religious and traditional rulers, parents, private companies, health workers to be on deck and ensure that we truly achieve the set goals and objectives.
Working seriously towards ensuring that all newborn and children are fully immunised, a leading international organization, Save the Children International, SCI, with funding support from GSK and in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Ministries of Health and Primary Health Care Boards in Lagos and Kano states, SCI is implementing another 4-year (2024-2027) project; Better Opportunity for Optimal Services and Targeted Immunisation for Zero Dose and Under Immunised Children (BOOST Project).
The project is focused on the reduction of zero dose and under-immunized children in Alimosho and Ikorodu LGAs of Lagos State and Ungogo and Gezawa LGAs of Kano State.
Part of the project strategy is to work with major stakeholders including the media group to create a sustainable environment for immunization funding, human resources for health and policy targeted at reducing zero-dose and under-immunised children in Kano and Lagos States.
At a day engagement workshop with the media recently, a lot of briefings, sensitisation and deliberations took place regarding the advocacy briefs developed for the project and as well as the next steps for implementation.
Also, in order to curb vaccine-preventable diseases among newborn and children, SCI partnered with the Lagos State Accountability Mechanism (LASAM) for Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent, Health and Nutrition, to initiate this 4-year programme aimed at reducing to the barest minimum, the number of zero-dose and under-immunised children in parts of Lagos and Kano States.
According to the Lagos State Project Manager and Advocacy Coordinator for BOOST, Dr. Itunu Dave-Agboola, the essence of the BOOST project is mainly to target children who have never received any vaccine dose and under-immunised children who have not completed their immunisation schedule.
“By zero-dose children, we mean children who have never been vaccinated, they have never received one dose of any vaccine. Under-immunised children are children who did not complete the immunisation schedule.“
Research has shown that we have a lot of these hard-to-reach children in Alimosho and Ikorodu LGAs of Lagos as well as Ungogo and Gezawa LGAs of Kano State. Our focus is on reaching these vulnerable groups through targeted advocacy and collaboration.
Available statistics shows that Nigeria accounts for over 2.2 million zero-dose children in 2021, the second-highest globally. Hence, the need for this kind of project aimed at ensuring that we create an enabling environment through improved policies, funding, and human resources for immunisation services.
SCI’s programmes started in Nigeria in 2001, where they work from the community to the national level to promote children’s rights and protection.
SCI is part of a consortium working to ensure that all children are immunized and advocate for increased government investment in health and nutrition across the world.