Abuja, 30 March 2017 -Various Governors and Commissioners for Health have been fully engaged in the first National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) campaign in 2017 to permanently stop polio transmission in Nigeria by providing overall oversight and monitoring of activities during the round. The NIPDs implemented in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, officially ended on 29 March 2017.

The March NIPDs  was also a synchronized vaccination campaign that  targeted 116 million in 13 countries (Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Sierra Leone) and adjudged the  largest of its kind ever implemented in Africa. In Nigeria alone, 60 million children are expected to be vaccinated  by the end of the exercise.

To flag-off the vaccination campaign, Ondo State Governor  Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in South West Nigeria personally administered two drops of bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) to scores of eligible children at the State Specialist Hospital, Akure. During the event, witnessed by top government dignitaries, partners and traditional leaders, the governor reiterated that his administration would support all efforts aimed at providing qualitative health care delivery to the people of the state. He stressed, “to have a polio- free state is something that is fundamental to us; that is why we will provide all support to the programme”.

On his part,  the Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar Jigawa utilized the occasion of the launch of the March NIPDs  to commission a newly constructed primary healthcare center (PHC)  facility and commended PHC workers and partners for improving trend of the key health performance indicators in the state.

In the South-South geo-political zone, Edo state Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the Bayelsa Deputy Governor personally flagged-off the NIPDs as part of measures to ensure that all targeted children are vaccinated.  The governors who expressed satisfaction with parents’ and caregivers response to vaccination, extended appreciation to WHO and other development  partners for  the success of the NIPDs and other health programmes in the region. They posited that effective and efficient delivery of primary healthcare  services remain the most viable means of achieving government’s objectives of catering for the health needs of the teeming populace.

Policy makers in North Central Nigeria also demonstrated collective commitment to the March vaccination exercise. In the zone, Commissioners for Health and Special Advisers on Health to state Governors led other senior government officials of Benue, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Plateau and Nassarawa states Ministries of Health on supervisory and monitoring visits to high-risk communities to sensitize residents on the importance of immunization to child survival. During their supervisory activities, the officials assessed the status of the cold chain to ensure vaccination teams were giving potent bOPV to all eligible children.

The four-day vaccination exercise, which officially ended on 29 March 2017, will continue in settlements where independent monitoring data show key indicators were not met, especially children missed  due to absence or initial non-compliance.

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For more information, please contact:

Technical contact:

Dr Fiona Braka; Tel: +234 703 170 5252; Email: brakaf [at] who.int " target="_blank"> brakaf [at] who.int
Media contact:

Ms  Charity Warigon; Tel: +234 810 221 0093; Email: warigonc [at] who.int" target="_blank"> warigonc [at] who.int

Below :

01 Ondo State Governor vaccinating a child

02 Jigawa State Governor preparing to administer OPV to a child during March NIPDs

03 Edo State Governor vaccinating a child against polio in the  popular Benin City  market