By Mary Agidi

Mrs. Dupe Olayemi (not her real name) is a primary school teacher at a public school in the Northern Senatorial District of Ondo State. When asked if her two daughters, aged six and ten had received the HPV vaccination, he emphatically responded, “No.”

This conversation stemmed from a skin infection spotted on the head of the six-year-old girl. When asked what she had used to treat it, Mrs. Olayemi described how she had spent all her money on various local herbal remedies recommended by friends and family, none of which was effective. Finally, she consulted a registered nurse who prescribed an injection and some medications.

When asked if her children had received routine immunizations, it was surprising that, despite being an educated woman, her children had missed the opportunity to receive the free Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for girls, which had been launched two months earlier nationwide. HPV is a sexually transmitted infection and the leading cause of cervical cancer. It is preventable through vaccination for girls who have not yet become sexually active.

When asked why her children had not been vaccinated, she explained that the authorities of the Federal Government school where her daughters are enrolled had denied access to immunization officers, claiming the vaccine was harmful. According to her, aside from the mandatory vaccines her children received at birth, subsequent ones were not allowed by the school’s administrators. The head of the school misled parents with misinformation, claiming that the HPV vaccine was a population control tool introduced by world leaders. Such myths, similar to those surrounding COVID-19 vaccines, have deterred some Africans from receiving vaccinations.

Her situation reflects the recent findings of the Ondo State Government, which has threatened to close schools that prevent pupils from being vaccinated.

Immunization is a proven safeguard against many preventable diseases in children, such as polio and measles.

In September 2024, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) raised concerns about the rising number of zero-dose children in Nigeria. UNICEF’s Southwest Chief Field Officer, Celine Lafourrière, reported that 2.3 million Nigerian children had not received any routine vaccinations—a situation she described as detrimental to Nigeria’s healthcare system and harmful to the innocent children who miss out on immunization.

Lafourrière emphasized that access to vaccines during childhood is vital for achieving a healthy population and reducing the financial burden on healthcare systems and parents. According to her, zero-dose children are mostly found in marginalized, hard-to-reach areas, and vaccines remain essential to their health.

“Vaccines are a fundamental right for every child and are crucial for improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities,” she said.

“To address this in Nigeria, UNICEF, alongside the government and valued partners, has prioritized 100 local government areas across 18 states with the highest concentration of zero-dose children who need our help. We must act now to accelerate immunization efforts in Nigeria. Our goal is simple: to increase the rate of vaccinated children by 15 percent each year. By 2025, we aim to reach 30 percent more vaccinated children,” she added.

Churches are now cooperating with the government on immunization. Health officers visit churches during Sunday services to vaccinate children during immunization campaigns. It is ironic that while religious leaders, regardless of their education level, now support orthodox medicine, some educational institutions rooted in Western ideals still prevent their pupils from receiving globally recommended vaccines.

In October, the Ondo State Government issued a warning to schools engaging in this behaviour. Dr. Victor Adefesoye, Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at the State Primary Healthcare Development Board, highlighted a law that penalises those obstructing health workers from vaccinating children.

The state government’s decisive action was prompted by the discovery of a school in Akure, KPG Kiddies, where pupils were prevented from receiving the recent integrated measles vaccination. The proprietress reportedly denied health officers access to the school.

The Director of Disease Control described the proprietress’s actions as a serious antagonistic stance against government efforts and policies aimed at providing children with essential healthcare services. “It is the right of these children to be healthy, and the government must ensure this through vaccination,” he added.

According to the 2022 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) for Southwest Nigeria, the region faces unique challenges in achieving universal immunization coverage. The MICS data showed that Ekiti State had the highest immunization coverage with 99.0% for BCG, 84.9% for DPT/Pentavalent, 73.6% for polio, and 94.5% for measles. Lagos followed with 94.4%, 84.7%, 75.6%, and 86.3%, respectively. Ondo had 75.1%, 62.6%, 54.2%, and 66.0%, while Osun recorded 93.0%, 81.5%, 62.2%, and 80.4%.

Access barriers and misinformation have been identified as major challenges to immunization. To reach hard-to-reach areas and reduce infant mortality rates caused by zero-dose (children who have not received any routine vaccines) and under-immunization (those missing a third dose of diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough), collaborative efforts are crucial. The government must ensure that rural dwellers have access to basic healthcare services. UNICEF disclosed that rural areas have the highest number of zero-dose children in Nigeria. Pregnant women must attend antenatal care and ensure their babies receive the full vaccine schedule. Fathers also play a role by supporting their wives to bring their children for immunisation.