By Lateef Odegbenle
Lagos, Nigeria – September 30, 2025
Lagos State Government has intensified its campaign on immunisation by mobilising council chairmen, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to ensure wider vaccine coverage across the state.
The initiative was unveiled on Tuesday in Alausa, Ikeja, during the inauguration of the State Task Force on Immunisation and Primary Health Care Services, chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.
Hamzat said the task force was established to guarantee that every child in Lagos is vaccinated against preventable diseases. He commended health workers for their dedication in recent years but stressed the need to reach communities that still lag behind.
“We want our religious leaders to use their sermons to enlighten people about the potency of vaccines. Schools must also play their role in ensuring that students are duly vaccinated,” Hamzat said.
He added that the government would continue collaborating with relevant stakeholders while increasing budgetary allocations to primary healthcare for effective service delivery.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, described the campaign as a renewed push for grassroots sensitisation and improved healthcare delivery. He warned that communities with weak primary healthcare systems were bound to experience higher disease burdens.
“The world has developed vaccines that can prevent illnesses leading to complications such as hepatitis, cervical cancer from HPV, and malaria. Our task is to increase coverage so Lagos residents can benefit from these life-saving interventions,” Abayomi said.
He emphasised that improving uptake required investment in infrastructure, equipment, and skilled health workers, making services more attractive to residents.
The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Ibrahim Mustapha, assured that the state remained committed to strengthening governance, accountability, and inclusivity in healthcare delivery.
“We want to ensure optimal routine immunisation across all local governments, respond effectively to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, and foster stronger collaboration with the private sector,” Mustapha said.
Speaking on behalf of council chairmen, the Chairman of Conference 57 and Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, Mr Sesan Olowa, pledged full support for the campaign, assuring the deputy governor and task force of their cooperation in boosting immunisation coverage.
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The task force is expected to enhance routine immunisation, strengthen community engagement, and reinforce Lagos State’s resilience against vaccine-preventable diseases.
