Ogun Govt. introduces inactivated vaccine for infants

The Ogun Primary Health Care Development Board (OGPHCDB) says it has introduced Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV2) as additional vaccination in the Routine Immunisation (RI) schedule for infants. The Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, said this at the launch of the vaccine at Iberekodo Primary Healthcare Centre on Friday in Abeokuta. Coker, who noted that the vaccine would be given to babies at 14 weeks, said it would protect children against polio
virus and also boost their immunity.

She said the vaccine was introduced in collaboration with development partners in the health sector. She explained that the introduction of the vaccine into RI schedule was in fulfilment of the four major objectives of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). She noted that “the GPE Initiative mandated all countries that were using Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to add at least one more dose of IPV into their schedules by the end of 2015.

“The need for the introduction of second dose of IPV into RI schedule across the 20 local government areas in the state
becomes expedient.

“The effort is aimed at maintaining the polio-free status that Nigeria and indeed Ogun State achieved on Aug. 25, 2020.”

Dr Omolayo Fred-Omojole, the Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Dapo Abiodun on Health, urged mothers and caregivers to
serve as advocates in their respective communities for government to realise its goal.

The Executive Secretary, OGPHCDB, Dr Elijah Ogunsola, explained that inactivated polio vaccine would be administered
to children as their first and second dose at six weeks and 14 weeks respectively. Ogunsola assured that “the vaccine is safe and effective”, adding that the board had put necessary machinery in place to maintain its potency.

Mrs Abiodun Adenuga and Aderonke Ogunba, who spoke on behalf of mothers and caregivers at the occasion, appreciated the state government for the initiative, promising to take their children to health facilities to receive the vaccine.