Misinformation and incomplete vaccination schedules are leaving thousands of Nigerian children vulnerable to dangerous diseases, with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) revealing that 93 per cent of children affected by recent diphtheria outbreaks were not fully immunized.
The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NPHCDA, Dr. Muyi Aina, made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja during the agency’s quarterly media briefing.
“We looked at data from all the cases that we have had, and in the different outbreaks that are happening, over 90 per cent, I think 93 per cent of the children had not received the full complement of vaccines that they should receive,” Dr. Aina stated.
He explained that many of the affected children were either completely unvaccinated (“zero-dose”) or had only received a single dose instead of the three recommended doses required for full protection.
Dr. Aina attributed the low completion rate largely to false rumors and anti-vaccine misinformation circulating in local communities. He stressed that despite the availability of life-saving vaccines and ongoing government interventions, public compliance remains hindered by widespread myths.
“The vaccines are available. We have advocated, and we have interventions to get communities to access these vaccines,” Aina said. “But when people allow misinformation and false rumours to influence their behaviour, they don’t access the vaccines.”
He issued an urgent call to action for parents, guardians, educators, and traditional leaders to actively support immunisation campaigns.
“I think this should be a wake-up call for all of us who are caregivers, for those of us that are community leaders and teachers, that we need to again focus on making sure that we get all of the vaccines that we need,” he emphasized.
Despite the challenges posed by routine vaccine hesitancy, Dr. Aina highlighted several major achievements in the agency’s broader public health campaigns across the country:
Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Over 18.3 million young girls have received the HPV vaccine, with active expansion efforts underway.
Measles-Rubella: More than 102 million children aged 9 months to 14 years have been vaccinated.
Malaria Vaccination: Approximately 882,000 children across Kebbi, Bayelsa, Ondo, and Bauchi states have received at least their first dose of the malaria vaccine.
To better reach underserved populations and reduce the tally of zero-dose children, the NPHCDA is scaling up its infrastructure and targeted outreach.
Dr. Aina revealed that efforts are currently ongoing to expand the reach of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). The program aims to increase the number of supported primary health facilities from 8,300 to 15,000 nationwide, ensuring equitable health services for all communities. (NAN)
