The Kwara State Government has called on traditional institutions and religious leaders to tackle myths and misconceptions surrounding vaccination to protect children against poliomyelitis and other vaccine-preventable diseases and reduce maternal and infant mortality. The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Professor Nusirat Elelu, made the call at a one-day orientation programme for religious leaders on promoting positive norms through the Faith-For-Life approach in the state.

Elelu described traditional institutions and religious leaders as influential figures who command trust and respect in their respective communities and religious settings, stressing that their involvement was crucial to addressing maternal and infant mortality.

She noted that some religious groups discourage practices such as blood transfusion and Caesarean section, urging religious leaders to acquire the necessary knowledge to address such beliefs and counter misinformation.

"We need people like you to strengthen health advocacy in our communities. You occupy positions of trust and are voices of authority as imams and pastors. We need your support in addressing the challenges of maternal, newborn and infant mortality, immunisation, hygiene and sanitation, and child protection," she said.

According to her, protecting the health and survival of women and children must remain a collective responsibility, adding that every pregnant woman deserves appropriate antenatal care and that efforts must be intensified to reduce stillbirths.

She also emphasised the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child's life and routine immunisation to protect children against preventable diseases.

Elelu, however, expressed concern that misconceptions, misinformation and cultural barriers sometimes delay healthcare-seeking and prevent families from accessing essential health services.

She urged religious leaders to bridge the information gap by providing accurate health information, addressing community concerns and encouraging timely healthcare-seeking behaviours.

The Executive Secretary added that religious leaders should use their influence to promote positive behavioural change and reassure families about the importance of accessing healthcare services to protect the lives of women and children.

Also speaking, the Social & Behavior Change Specialist of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Kaduna Field Office, Mr. Ibrahim Tsado, urged religious leaders to take responsibility for dispelling myths and misinformation about vaccines in their respective communities.

Tsado encouraged the participants to educate their congregations and communities on the importance of immunisation, describing vaccination as a safe and approved means of protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases.

The UNICEF representative explained that vaccines undergo strict regulatory processes before approval, noting that they are among the most highly regulated products worldwide.

Tsado urged the religious leaders to use their positions of influence to promote accurate information about vaccines, address misconceptions and encourage parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive routine immunisation.

He stressed that community acceptance was essential to improving immunisation uptake and protecting children from preventable diseases.

Similarly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) State Coordinator, Dr. Eyitayo Emmanuel, emphasised the safety of vaccines, explaining that they undergo rigorous processes before approval by the appropriate regulatory authorities.

In her remarks, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) State Coordinator, Dr. Gloria Enueze, urged mothers to ensure their children receive routine immunisation.

She also stressed the importance of pregnant women receiving recommended vaccines to protect their health and that of their unborn children.

In a remark, the Director of Primary Healthcare Systems, Dr. Michael Oguntoye, explained that vaccines undergo several stages of testing and regulatory assessment before they are approved for use.

He noted that vaccines and medicines introduced into Nigeria are subject to regulatory scrutiny by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Oguntoye dismissed claims that vaccines were being used to reduce Nigeria's population, specifically rejecting allegations that Bill Gates was sponsoring vaccination programmes for that purpose.

He explained that financial support for vaccine programmes did not mean that donors independently manufactured and marketed vaccines, adding that vaccines used in Nigeria were also used in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

Participants at the orientation programme were drawn from various religious organisations, including the Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Federation of Muslim Women's Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) and Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI).