6.2 million Nigerian Children Unvaccinated – Survey
Recent survey by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has revealed that the Nigeria’s immunisation coverage remains alarmingly low, with no fewer than 6.2 million children missing out on all vaccines in the past five years.
This is contained in the findings of Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS).
The MSF Head of Mission in Nigeria, Dr Ahmad Bilal, who raised the concern in a statement, lamented that the country is yet to attain the 95 per cent vaccine coverage rate recommended by international health bodies.
He said: “In 2024 alone, MSF treated over 17,000 cases of measles in Nigeria, a disease that, if left untreated, can result in severe complications such as pneumonia, brain damage, or even death.”
Bilal disclosed that a joint vaccination campaign between MSF and the Ministry of Health is targeting children under five years with the measles vaccine and the Penta-5 vaccine, which offers protection against diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, whooping cough, and Haemophilus Influenzae Type B.
He further stated: “MSF is also conducting catch-up vaccinations for children who may have missed their routine doses against polio, rotavirus, tuberculosis, and other life-threatening diseases.”
According to him, the campaign is currently ongoing in Sokoto North, Sokoto South, Wamako, and Dange Shuni Local Government Areas (LGAs), with catch-up routine vaccinations being administered at four facilities in rural Wamako and five facilities each in Dange Shuni and Bodinga LGAs.
Bilal noted that in the first phase of the vaccination drive, which commenced in early November 2024, about 53,095 children across six LGAs in Sokoto State had been immunised. Shockingly, 33,617 of them approximately 63 per cent had never received any vaccines prior to the campaign.
He urged community members in Sokoto to actively participate in the ongoing vaccination programme to curb the spread of preventable yet deadly diseases like measles and diphtheria.
Bilal reaffirmed MSF’s commitment to collaborating with state governments in the Northwest region to ensure that every child receives the necessary vaccines to safeguard their health and future.
“We are committed to working with the government to ensure that no child is left unprotected against these deadly diseases,” he added.
Credit: The Hope Newspaper
