As Nigeria joined the world to mark year 2026 World Immunisation Week which started from April, 24 – 26, with the theme “For Every Generation, Vaccines Work,” Save The Children International, Nigeria has called for a renewed commitment and coordinated action to reach zero-dose and under – immunised children in Nigeria, particularly in underserved urban and peri-urban communities in Lagos and Kano States.
In a message to the commemoration, SCI stated that, Nigeria remains one of the countries with the highest burden of children missed by routine immunisation services.
It noted that, while 2.1 million children have never received a single vaccine, an estimated 2.3 million children are under-immunised, reflecting missed opportunities within the health system and persistent access barriers.
“Put together, these gaps undermine child survival, putting a strain on health services”.
This the release says, makes Nigeria the country with the second-highest number of zero-dose children globally.
It explains further that, evidence from the Global Burden of Disease Study 4 reveals that vaccine-preventable diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoeal and meningitis continue to drive child mortality in Nigeria.
Insisting that, reaching children who have been consistently missed by immunisation services is critical to improving child survival and achieving equitable health outcomes nationwide.
“Immunisation remains one of the most cost-effective public health interventions, saving millions of lives globally each year”. SCI stated
The statement however, expressed dismay that in Nigeria, many children have continued to miss routine vaccinations due to limited access to services, weak follow-up and data systems, misinformation, harmful social and gender norms, and gaps in community engagement.
These challenges it says, has continued to threaten progress in child survival and leaves children unnecessarily exposed to preventable illness and death.
“Children who are unvaccinated or under -immunised often face multiple and overlapping challenges such as malnutrition, poor access to water and sanitation, poverty, and limited access to quality primary health care, which further increases their risk of severe illness and death”. the statement said