…Third round of the Big Catch-Up campaign targets children aged 0–5 in Baruten, Ilorin East, and Ifelodun LGAs
#KwaraRising
The Kwara State Government, in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and other health partners, is set to launch the third round of the Big Catch-Up vaccination campaign. Scheduled to run from Saturday, April 12 to Thursday, April 17, 2025, the campaign aims to immunize over 80,000 children against life-threatening vaccine-preventable diseases.
This round of the campaign is focused on bridging immunity gaps among children who missed their routine immunization doses, particularly those affected by disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KWSPHCDA), Professor Nusirat Elelu, disclosed this during a strategy meeting held at the Agency’s headquarters in Ilorin.
Professor Elelu emphasized that the campaign will cover three Local Government Areas—Baruten, Ilorin East, and Ifelodun—identified as having the highest number of unimmunized children in the state. She described the Big Catch-Up as a vital strategy to strengthen routine immunization services and protect vulnerable children from preventable diseases.
“Immunization remains one of the most cost-effective and proven public health tools for saving lives,” she said. “This campaign is a continuation of our commitment to ensuring that every child in Kwara is protected, no matter where they live.”
The Executive Secretary called on parents, caregivers, school heads, religious and community leaders, as well as Islamic institutions, to fully support the exercise by ensuring eligible children—those aged 0 to 5—are available for vaccination. She reassured the public of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines, which are provided free of charge by the State Government.
Professor Elelu reiterated the government’s dedication to promoting child health and well-being through sustained access to immunization, noting that the vaccines will be administered across all health facilities and outreach posts in the targeted LGAs.
“The Kwara State Government, under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, remains unwavering in its commitment to the health and safety of all residents, especially our mothers and children,” she added.
The Big Catch-Up campaign is part of Kwara’s broader strategy to achieve universal health coverage and reduce child mortality through proactive, community-based health interventions.
