Immunisation: Ekiti govt engages stakeholders on ‘big catch up’ exercise

In a bid to ensure the coverage of all eligible children in the catch up immunisation exercise, the Ekiti state government through the State Primary Health Care Development Agency(ESPHCDA) has engaged stakeholders towards the success of the exercise.

The stakeholders at the meeting under the State Mobilisation Committee (SMC) includes, traditional and religious leaders, market women, Parent Teachers Association, National Orientation Agency(NOA) representatives of ethnic nationalities, officials of ministry of women affairs, LGA health educators, media, among others.

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The exercise, tagged ‘Big Catch Up’ is expected to take place in seven Local Government Areas of Ado, Ikere, Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ekiti West, Ido-Osi, Gbonyin and Ikole LGAs from April 12th and 17th, 2025.

Speaking on Wednesday, the Director of Disease Control and Immunization in ESPHCDA, Dr Taiwo Kolawole, noted that the agency is committed to the health and well-being of children in the state.

He called on stakeholders to intensify efforts towards mobilising children between the ages of zero and 59 months through their parents for the routine immunisation exercise.

Kolawole, who said the scheduled exercise is the third and last in the series, is aimed at protecting the children from deadly diseases, thereby making Ekiti the best in the country in terms of coverage.

On her part, the State Immunisation Officer, Mrs Omolabake Ogundola revealed that the exercise would involve children in the age bracket of zero and 59 months who had missed their routine immunization.

Ogundola, who expressed satisfaction over the previous round of the exercise, appealed to parents and guardians to take advantage of the third round of the catch-up exercise by releasing their children to be vaccinated.

She said, “This opportunity may not come again and we should take good advantage of this third round of the big catch-up for our children to receive the vaccinations.

“It will be starting this Saturday across the seven listed LGAs and our officials will be going around and this is the last round of this exercise.”

The State Health Educator, Dr Olajumoke Oguntoye said the stakeholders’ engagement was necessary to brainstorm and seek more collaboration towards ensuring the full coverage of eligible children in the immunization exercise.

She assured parents and other stakeholders that the vaccines are safe, effective and free, calling on the participants to help in mobilising children in the affected LGAs.