The Ekiti State Government has urged parents, guardians, and key health sector stakeholders to adopt a more proactive attitude towards immunization and the promotion of healthy living among residents.
This call was made by the State Commissioner for Information, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, during the Quarterly Social and Behavioral Change Committee Meeting held in Ado-Ekiti. The meeting was organized by the State Ministry of Information in collaboration with UNICEF. Chief Olatunbosun, who was represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusesan Alabi, emphasized that social and behavioral change campaigns are essential in overcoming cultural barriers and combating misinformation by influencing individual behavior and shifting social norms.
He highlighted that the meeting aimed to foster discussions around positive social behaviors, which must be consistently promoted across communities to encourage healthier, more productive lifestyles.
In her welcome address, the Director of General Publications in the Ministry and program coordinator, Mrs. Sola Fadiran, called on stakeholders to actively disseminate accurate information on the benefits of childhood immunization.
Delivering presentations at the event, Dr. Jumoke Oguntoye, State Health Educator at the Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency, and Mrs. Omolabake Ogunlana, State Immunization Officer, underscored vaccination as one of the most powerful tools in disease prevention. They stressed the ongoing risk of polio virus importation into Nigeria despite the country’s polio-free status, advocating for continued vigilance to prevent resurgence.
Participants at the meeting proposed stronger, community-based outreach campaigns. They also suggested linking access to certain government services—particularly social investment programs—to the presentation of children’s vaccination cards. Additionally, there were calls to revisit and strictly enforce the Ekiti State Child Rights Law to ensure parents both protect their children from harmful traditional practices and uphold routine immunization as a legal obligation.
