Date: 2017-10-04

The Kwara State government yesterday announced that it is targeting over 800,000 children under five years for the next round of measles vaccination campaign coming up in February next year.

Speaking at a training workshop by the state Primary Health Care and Development Agency in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO, among other development partners in Ilorin, the executive secretary of the agency, Dr. Abimbola Folorunso, said that a total number of 105 health officers from the 16 local government areas of the state would be trained on measles campaign.

Folorunso, who said that the state recorded a coverage of 76.4 per cent out of expected national coverage of 95 per cent in 2015 measles campaign, added that underutilization of measles vaccine remained primary reason for high measles mortality.

She also said that the training involving immunisation officers, cold chain officers and disease surveillance and notification officers in the 16 local government areas of the state, was meant to prepare micro plan for proper planning of the February campaign.