Polio Campaign: WHO Orders Repeat Vaccination in Kwara, 20 States

The World Health Organisation has directed that the polio component of Nigeria’s recent Integrated Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign be repeated in Kwara State and 20 other states, including the Federal Capital Territory, following the discovery of gaps in the October 2025 exercise.

The repeat round, targeting children under five will be carried out by the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO, and other development partners. The earlier campaign had been temporarily halted but will resume on a new date to be announced.

Speaking at a media dialogue on the November SNIPDs, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week, and the Human Papillomavirus Intensification Campaign on Monday, the WHO Coordinator for Kwara State, Dr. Eyitayo Emmanuel represented by Dr. Gwomson Dauda said the decision to re-run the polio vaccination followed reports of limited access and refusals recorded during the initial round.

According to him, several schools declined participation, alleging they did not receive official notifications ahead of the exercise.

“In some places, schools refused to receive the vaccines because they alleged that no official communication reached them,” he said.

He noted that some military and federal-owned schools also turned away vaccination teams despite receiving formal letters. Additionally, teams experienced difficulty accessing some residential estates, along with other logistical challenges that hindered full coverage.

Dr. Dauda urged Nigerians to disregard misconceptions about the polio vaccine, warning that the disease remains a real and present threat.

“Some of the elderly people you see who cannot walk properly were affected by polio. We even have one of our staff members who suffered polio as a child and is now working with the WHO. Polio is real,” he said.

He commended the Kwara State Government for consistently fulfilling its counterpart funding obligations, which contributed to the successful vaccination of over one million children in the state during the last exercise.

“Kwara is one of the states that always stands out in implementation because the government fulfils its obligations,” he added.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu—represented by Dr. Oguntoyinbo—highlighted the role of the media in combating misinformation that undermines public health efforts.

She noted that while media platforms are powerful tools for health education, they can just as easily spread misinformation, especially through social media.

“The role of the media in achieving universal health coverage and addressing health gaps cannot be overemphasised. But these same platforms can transmit misinformation, disinformation, and rumours which undermine public health efforts,” she said.

Prof. Elelu, therefore, appealed to journalists and stakeholders to intensify enlightenment campaigns, especially in rural areas, to ensure accurate information reaches citizens ahead of the repeat vaccination exercise.