The United Nations Children Education Funds (UNICEF) weekend indicated that based on data from its flagship report, the state of the World Children’s Report (SOWC) 2023, Nigeria has been listed as one of the countries with highest burden of children not immunised on child related killer diseases.
The chief UNICEF field office in Sokoto state, Dr. Maryam Darwesh, said at a two- day media dialogue on routine immunization campaign and zero dose reduction campaign organised by UNICEF in collaboration with state primary health care development agencies of Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states held at Sokoto Guest House, Saturday.
Dr. Darwesh who was represented by Dr. Shamina Sharmin, Health Manager, UNICEF Sokoto Field Office, stated that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation as it interrupted childhood vaccination almost everywhere, mainly due to intense demands on healthcare systems.
The report said out of the 67 million children who missed routine vaccination between 2019 and 2022, 48 million didn’t receive a single regular vaccine.
Darwesh pointed out that based on the National Immunisation Coverage Survey (NICS) 2021, Nigeria has made progress in immunisation, with national routine immunisation coverage of children receiving all three doses of the pentavalent vaccine at 57 percent.
Darwesh stated that, based on survey on completeness of routine immunisation coverage is 36 percent for northwest Nigeria, which indicated that the figure is only 25 percent.
