The Kwara State Government, with support from development partners, has officially launched the 2025 Integrated Health Outreach Programme (I-HOP) to expand access to routine immunisation and primary health care (PHC) services across all 193 wards in the state.

Designed to strengthen PHC delivery during the third and fourth quarters of 2025, the initiative will deliver a package of high-impact health interventions directly to vulnerable populations, regardless of their location.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at the Primary Health Care facility in Tanke, Ilorin, Professor Nusirat Elelu, Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KWSPHCDA), said the outreach reflects the government's commitment to inclusive healthcare and leaving no one behind.

She described the programme as comprehensive and integrated, targeting 66,309 children under one year, 31,554 under-five children, and 207,885 pregnant women for essential health services, including vaccinations, antenatal care, nutrition support, and disease prevention.

The I-HOP rollout underscores Kwara's push toward achieving universal health coverage and improving maternal and child health outcomes across urban and rural communities.

She added that the intervention would deliver routine immunisation antigens for eligible children, Tetanus Toxoid (TT) vaccines for pregnant women and adolescent girls, as well as general health consultations including screening for blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index, and nutrition-related services.

A statement by Alade Opeyemi, Press Secretary, quoted her saying, "There will also be a referral system for higher-level care when needed. In addition, we have partnered with the State Ministry of Livestock to deploy a Nomadic Outreach Strategy to remote and underserved nomadic settlements because a health threat anywhere is a health threat everywhere."

The Executive Secretary stressed that the outreach was more than an exercise but a mission with measurable objectives, including achieving over 80% coverage for the third dose of the Pentavalent vaccine by the fourth quarter of 2025.

She noted that the programme also sought to strengthen demand for antenatal services by systematically building trust and confidence among clients.

Elelu urged mothers, fathers, guardians, caregivers, as well as religious and traditional leaders to support the campaign and ensure children and families take full advantage of the services.

She commended Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for his unwavering support and provision of resources, including the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (Project HOPE), while also appreciating development partners for their technical and financial assistance.

Ayodeji Abdullahi Taoheed, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, praised the governor's consistent commitment to citizens' well-being through health sector reforms, staff recruitment, and facility upgrades.

Also speaking, Oluwabunmi Ajayi, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Kwara, described the outreach as a laudable initiative, pledging WHO's continued collaboration to ensure its success.

Atinuke Ahmed, the State Team Lead of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), reaffirmed the organisation's readiness to partner with the agency in improving healthcare delivery across the state.

For his part, Dare AbdulGaniyu, the State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), urged residents to embrace the free services and warned against self-medication or overdose, stressing the need for collective cooperation to make the intervention a success.