Osun, 22 May, 2023 - Summoning the courage to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, 49 years old Mrs Olatunji Kafayat, residing in Osogbo, Osun state, southwest Nigeria, closes her eyes as the syringe pierce her arm. 

Smiling after the vaccination, Mrs Olatunji says it was her first COVID-19 dose. 

“I took the COVID-19 vaccine because the sensitization team that came to my community to raise awareness was able to convince me about the importance of receiving it.

Mrs Olatunji recounts that she had been hesitant about receiving the vaccine because of her phobia of injections, coupled with the misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine. 

“I thought receiving the vaccine could lead to serious complications or side effects. I changed my mind because I was educated better by the sensitization team,” she says. 

As for Mr Waheed Tijani, 49 years old, he was full of smiles as he took his second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine in Orisunmbare market, Osogbo, Osun State.

Being a trader, he says receiving the vaccine puts his mind at rest that he is protected against COVID-19.

“We relate with many customers and you do not know who is infected with COVID-19. I received the vaccine to protect myself and my household. Since I received my first dose, I have been advising my customers and fellow traders that the vaccine is safe and they should get vaccinated,” he says.  

Integrated vaccination campaign 
Aside the adults who received COVID-19 vaccines, eligible children, pregnant women and the other residents of the state also benefitted from the integrated health services rendered by Osun State Government in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) to commemorate 2023

Africa Vaccination Week.
Services rendered include administering of routine immunization antigens and deworming drugs; diarrhea treatment with Zinc tablets and Oral Rehydration Solution, distribution of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs). ante-natal care; nutritional screening and counselling; distribution of Vitamin A supplementation for children, as well as sensitization on exclusive breastfeeding.
In addition, Family Planning counselling and the administration of the tetanus vaccine and folic acid were given to pregnant and women of childbearing age.

“The COVID-19 and Routine immunization sensitization and vaccination drive is one of the strategies adopted to accelerate rapid progress of vaccination uptake to get back on track to ensure more people, particularly children, are protected from preventable diseases,” explains Dr Bello Ahmed, the WHO State Coordinator in Osun State.

Dr Bello explains that the campaign is in tune with the 2023 AVW theme “the Big catchup” which seeks to close the immunization gaps cause by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The AVW was leveraged to conduct Fixed and Outreaches sessions to Hard-to-reach areas across the 30 Local Government Areas (LGA) of the state.

While the COVID-19 vaccination encourages eligible adults to receive the COVID-19 vaccines to protect themselves against the disease and serves as an opportunity to improve COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the state”, he says. 

Impressive result 
Some of the routine immunization antigen administered are Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), oral poliovirus vaccines (OPV), pentavalent vaccine, measles and, tetanus vaccines. At the end of the seven –day campaign (April 24th – 30th) about 3, 200 children, including pregnant women got vaccinated with the recommended Routine Immunisation (RI) antigens. 

Similarly, 3072 people were vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, out of which, 953 people - 470 males and 483 females received their first doses.  Meanwhile, 984 people received their second COVID-19 doses and a total of 1135 people were vaccinated for the Booster dose,  

COVID-19 uptake
Since August 2021, Nigeria integrated the COVID-19 vaccination into Primary Health Care (PHC) services and expanded routine immunization programme to both protect populations at risk and strengthen the local health systems

The innovative SCALES (an acronym for Service Delivery, Communication, Accountability, Logistics, Electronic Management of immunization data and supportive supervision) strategy aims to rapidly accelerate COVID-19 vaccine access to Nigerians, with a high concentration on the vulnerable population and residents of rural areas. 

Appreciating WHO and partners for the support in protecting the residents of the state, the Executive Secretary of the Osun State Primary Health Care Board, (OSPHCB), Dr Oluwole Fabiyi, says Osun state has recorded significant improvement on immunization activities due to the quality of integrated campaigns conducted so far. 

He explains that with support from the WHO, Osun State established fixed posts at primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities, outreach posts in places outside the health facilities and special locations like Border settlements, 

WHO has been working with the government of Nigeria to provide COVID-19 vaccines for about 70% of the country’s population through the COVAX facility. 

Osun state has an estimated total population of 5,764,868 and about 50% (2,882,434) are in the age group of above 18 years. 

As of 30 April 2023, 313,632 were partially vaccinated, 3,467,808 fully vaccinated and 959,686 (33%) had received Booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in the state. 

Furthermore, Osun State is currently among the top three States in Nigeria that have fully vaccinated at least 70% of the eligible population. 

Technical Contacts:
Dr Ahmed Bello: Email: belloah [at] who.int (belloah[at]who[dot]int)
Dr Isiaka Ayodeji; Email: isiakaa [at] who.int (isiakaa[at]who[dot]int)