The Idemili North Local Government Area (LGA) Health Authority has intensified efforts to identify and vaccinate zero-dose and under-immunized children through an expanded routine immunization campaign.
The Director of Primary Health Care Centres in Idemili North, Mrs Chinwe Okeke, disclosed this during an orientation programme for social network members at the Maternal and Child Health Centre, Ogidi.
Okeke said the campaign would run from October 29 to November 2, 2026, followed by a mop-up exercise on November 3 to reach eligible children missed during the main exercise.
She explained that the campaign targets children aged zero to nine years who missed routine vaccinations between January 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.
She noted that the exercise was particularly important given the area’s large population and densely populated communities, which could pose challenges to reaching every eligible child.
Okeke 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.
She added that stakeholders had been mobilised through sensitisation meetings, with community leaders, social network members and town announcers enlisted to support awareness creation and community participation.
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 engage 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 families to present eligible children for immunisation.
The officials expressed optimism that active community participation would improve vaccination coverage, close immunization gaps and protect more children against vaccine-preventable diseases.
