By Uzo Ugwunze
The Idemili North Local Government Area (LGA) Health Authority has stepped up efforts to reach zero dose and under immunised children through an intensified routine immunisation campaign.
The Director of Primary Health Care Centres in Idemili North, Mrs Chinwe Okeke, disclosed this on Oct. 28 during an orientation for social network members at the Maternal and Child Health Centre, Ogidi.
Okeke said the campaign would run from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2, followed by a mop up exercise on Nov. 3 to reach children missed during the main exercise.
She said the campaign targeted children aged zero to nine years who had missed routine vaccinations between January 2026 and October 2026.
According to her, zero dose children are those who have never received any vaccine, while under immunised children are those who have received some vaccines but have not completed their recommended vaccination schedules.
Okeke said the exercise was necessary because of Idemili North’s large population and densely populated communities, which could make it difficult to reach all eligible children.
She said the campaign would cover all 14 wards and 10 communities in the LGA, with vaccines including Bacillus Calmette Guérin (BCG), pentavalent and other routine childhood vaccines.
The director said stakeholders had been mobilised to support the exercise through sensitisation meetings and the involvement of community leaders, social network members and town announcers.
Also speaking, the Social Mobilisation and Health Education Officer for Idemili North, Mrs Okpalanwankwo Chinememma Ukamaka, said the social network members were selected because of their ability to interact with residents, build trust and promote positive health practices at the grassroots.
She urged the mobilisers to educate parents and caregivers, address concerns about vaccination, counter misinformation and encourage them to present eligible children for immunisation.
The officials expressed optimism that community participation would improve vaccination coverage and protect more children against vaccine preventable diseases.
Uzo Ugwunze is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
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