The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged the Federal Government to continue with routine immunization so as to avoid a resurgence or importation of polio disease.
Nigeria was certified polio-free last August by the World Health Organization (WHO while Afghanistan and Pakistan are still endemic of the disease.
Communication for Development (C4D) Specialist with UNICEF, Elizabeth Onitolo said at a media dialogue in Yola, Adamawa State for reporters on routine Immunization and COVID-19 vaccination lamented the low level of routine immunization for polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, yellow fever, meningitis, and tuberculosis among others, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown last year.
“Major cause of death among children is vaccine-preventable diseases. We must work assiduously to avoid a resurgence or importation of polio. Afghanistan and Pakistan are still polio-endemic. Routine immunization is very low in the country.
“When children miss their routine immunization, they are not able to fight diseases, as a result of COVID-19 lockdown.
“We are here to increase awareness on the implication of missed immunization on children, which has led to the resurgence of illnesses (measles, yellow fever, meningitis, and tuberculosis) and polio.
“Nigeria’s certification calls for cautious celebration. The success recorded is still fragile because immunization coverage is still low. Many parents are still not compliant while many children have not been vaccinated.
“Because of the lockdown, we told our mobilisers to urge mothers to go to health centres for immunization. Many missed their schedule due to the COVID-19 lockdown. The BCM collected the numbers of the mothers, called, and followed them up.
“For children under two years to combat recurring measles disease, one dose of measles vaccination is no longer enough. It has now been increased to two.
“Environmental sanitation and personal hygiene in communities are still very low, providing a possible ground for disease outbreak.
“Disease burden will be cut by 25 per cent of people regularly wash their hands, according to studies”, she said.
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