Lagos Deputy Gov. charges parents on children’s vaccination
“Our royal fathers must also help spread the message that vaccination has helped sustain good health within communities”
The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, has emphasised the importance of vaccination for children to ensure a healthier future and disease-free society.
Hamzat made the call on Tuesday at the inaugural meeting of the Lagos State Taskforce on Immunisation and Primary Health Care Services in Alausa, Ikeja. He described vaccination as one of the most effective and reliable ways to protect children from life-threatening illnesses, ensuring their proper growth and healthy development.
According to him, immunisation is a collective responsibility that secures family well-being while contributing to a healthier Lagos State and Nigeria. Hamzat stressed the need to involve all stakeholders to better understand the severity of immunisation challenges and the importance of collective action.
He urged religious leaders and traditional rulers to collaborate with the government in sensitising residents on the significance of vaccination and nutrition for their children.
The deputy governor noted that religious houses are welcome to approach the government for clarifications and enlightenment on policies related to vaccination and primary healthcare.
“Our royal fathers must also help spread the message that vaccination has helped sustain good health within communities,” he added.
Citing COVID-19, Hamzat explained that many contagious diseases were eradicated through immunisation, stressing the need to extend such efforts to other preventable illnesses.
The Chairman, House Committee on Health, Mr Lawal Aina, urged local government chairmen to encourage parents and guardians to fully embrace immunisation programmes in their areas.
“Health education is a key responsibility of chairmen in ensuring community well-being. I urge us to intensify efforts to promote child vaccination,” Aina said.
Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi said the primary objective of PHCs was to increase immunisation coverage and ensure broader protection across the state.
He explained that technological advances have produced vaccines preventing infections that cause immediate sickness and those linked with long-term complications such as hepatitis-induced cirrhosis and HPV-related cervical cancer.
According to him, improved access to primary healthcare will further boost immunisation uptake, making services more attractive to citizens across Lagos.
Abayomi urged traditional rulers, local government chairmen, and stakeholders to collaborate in strengthening PHCs and supporting the government’s health infrastructure expansion.
“We are renovating our primary healthcare platform, with 47 PHCs under transformation. I encourage you to support this medical infrastructure renewal,” he said.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Ibrahim Mustapha, said the taskforce reflected the THEMESplus agenda’s commitment to stronger health governance.
He explained that the body was created to ensure accountability, coordination, and problem-solving in delivering immunisation and other primary healthcare services across the state.
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