The Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Mr Kayode Alabi, has raised eyebrows at the failure of local government chairmen in the state to attend and actively participate in meetings of the State Task Force on Immunisation, warning that such lapses undermine public health goals.

Alabi, who chairs the task force committee, made this known during its quarterly meeting held in his office in Ilorin.

He stressed that holding public office comes with a responsibility to prioritise the welfare of citizens, particularly on critical issues such as immunisation that directly impact national health outcomes.

The Deputy Governor therefore directed the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Professor Nusirat Elelu, to formally document the situation, noting that the report would be forwarded to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for necessary action.

Despite the concerns, the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Professor Nusirat Elelu, spoke on the significant progress the agency had recorded.

According to her, the state reached 668,999 children under five years with Vitamin A supplementation, achieving 94 per cent coverage, whilst 123,271 pregnant women received haematinic (iron and folic acid), representing 119 per cent coverage.

Elelu, however, identified the non-release of counterpart funding by some local government councils, poor attendance at immunisation meetings by the council chairmen and their representatives, and rising security threats affecting service delivery in several areas as key challenges facing the immunisation goals.

She emphasised the need for sustained political will, stronger grassroots support, and improved security for health workers, particularly in hard-to-reach and vulnerable communities.

The Executive Secretary also called on council chairmen in the state to take greater ownership of primary healthcare programmes, noting that local government involvement remains critical to achieving universal immunisation coverage.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Ahmed El-Imam, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Taoheed Abdullahi, commended the efforts of the task force, describing immunisation as a strategic investment in the country's future.

She urged stakeholders to strengthen routine immunisation, improve data quality for evidence-based decision making, and intensify community engagement to tackle misinformation and vaccine hesitancy issues that continue to challenge immunisation efforts across the country.

A representative of the World Health Organization, Dr Emmanuel Eyitayo, who spoke on behalf of other development partners applauded the state government for prioritising child health and assured continued support from development partners.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Kwara State House of Assembly Committee on Health and Nutrition, Ogbeni Seun Ogunniyi, reaffirmed the legislature's commitment to strengthening primary healthcare, noting that the state's achievements in immunisation reflect a growing alignment with national health priorities.