The Lagos State Government has announced the commencement of the polio outbreak response exercise from Saturday, November 14, 2020, in five LGAS – Apapa, Lagos Mainland, Mushin, Somolu, and Surulere.

A statement issued by the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board revealed that children between 0 – 5 years would be vaccinated with two drops of the oral polio vaccine, regardless of their previous immunization status, to prevent poliomyelitis that may result in paralysis of the limbs or death.

The Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Olugbemiga Aina, while urging parents to take advantage of the health opportunity, said: “It is essential to ensure that eligible children within our communities are adequately vaccinated, and our communities are rid of the virus because as long as wild poliovirus is still in circulation in some countries, the whole world remains at risk.”

Giving details of the procedure for vaccination, Dr. Aina said that the outbreak response will be administered in two stages, with the first taking place between Saturday, November 14 and Tuesday, November 17, 2020, while the second round will hold from Saturday, 12th to Tuesday 15th December 2020.

“During these periods, vaccination teams will be required to visit residential homes, schools, churches, mosques, gated estates and all public places where eligible children will be found”, the Permanent Secretary explained.

Recall that the African Regional Commission formally declared Nigeria Polio free on 25th August 2020; however, the exercise was initiated as a result of environmental circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) detected at Makoko, Asegere Market in Lagos Mainland LGA mid-September.