The Lagos State government is set to embark on a large-scale Polio Outbreak Response (OBR) scheme across all 57 local councils and Local Council Development Areas.
The campaign, scheduled to take place from Wednesday, January 18 to 22, 2025, aims to prevent another outbreak of wild poliovirus in the state.
The supervising Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Abimbola Bowale, revealed this, during a briefing on immunisation activities on Tuesday, in Lagos
According to Dr Abimbola Bowale of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, the entire country is vulnerable to reinfection by the wild poliovirus, especially given recent outbreaks in Malawi and Mozambique.
To address this, the Lagos State Government will collaborate with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to implement the OBR campaign.
“The Integrated Supplemental Immunization Activities (SIA) campaign was a landmark public health intervention that was aimed at addressing gaps in immunization coverage and curbing the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases in Lagos State,” he said.
“This comprehensive campaign targeted measles, yellow fever, and Human Papillomavirus (HPV), prioritizing high-risk populations and leveraging innovative strategies to maximize impact.
“The safeguarding of the lives of Lagosians remains a priority of the Lagos State Government, and to continue to ensure that the State remains free from the burden of all Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, the Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, will implement a Polio Outbreak Response in all LGAs and LCDAs in a bid to maintain the country’s polio-free status following the certification received in August 2020.”
This effort builds on the success of the 2024 Measles and Yellow Fever Integrated vaccination campaign, which achieved significant milestones.
The campaign also reached over 21 million people through large-scale social mobilization activities and strengthened health systems through enhanced cold chain capacity and workforce training.
