Lagos State has achieved significant success in its 2024 Measles and Yellow Fever Mass Vaccination Campaign, with over 85 percent of children vaccinated against measles and nearly 95 percent coverage in yellow fever immunizations.
Supervising Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Abimbola Bowale made the announcement at a media briefing in Alausa, Lagos.
“We have successfully vaccinated 3,595,461 children against measles, representing 85 percent coverage, and 20,366,405 residents have received the yellow fever vaccine, achieving 95 percent coverage,” Bowale disclosed.
Bowale also called for increased public awareness ahead of an upcoming children’s vaccination drive, scheduled between January 18 and January 22, 2025.
“Our aim is to reach even more children during this upcoming phase, so we need to continue the engagement and information dissemination to ensure even greater success,” he said.
The Lagos State government, in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, is taking further steps to safeguard public health through a Polio Outbreak Response (OBR), which will run concurrently from January 18 to January 22.
“This is a necessary response to maintain the country’s polio-free status, particularly following recent outbreaks of wild polio-virus type 1 in Malawi and Mozambique,” Bowale added.
He further stated, “If we become complacent, the entire country is vulnerable to reinfection by the wild polio-virus. It is crucial that we maintain zero polio-virus status through sustained efforts and high-quality campaigns.”
Bowale commended the efforts of the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his robust political and financial backing of the initiative.
He also praised the unwavering support of the state’s First Lady, Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, whose dedication was instrumental in the success of the campaign.
The comprehensive vaccination drive, which commenced in October 2024, was designed to address gaps in immunization coverage while focusing on high-risk populations.
“By targeting both urban and remote communities, we are working to achieve herd immunity, reduce disease transmission, and strengthen the state’s routine immunization system,” Bowale explained.