In a bid to deepen public awareness on the value of immunisation, Preventive Health Nigeria Advocacy Operations Ltd. in collaboration with Save the Children International Nigeria, and Fidson Healthcare Plc, convened a two-day advocacy drive featuring an Immunisation Walk and the Vaccines Virtual Summit 2026. The initiative, held in Surulere, Lagos, sought to sensitise residents on the importance of vaccination for children and adults, while pushing for national policies that will boost vaccine uptake and rebuild public trust in the healthcare system.
The events formed part of activities marking World Immunisation Week 2026—an annual global campaign led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) from April 24 to 30 to promote the life-saving benefits of vaccines. With the theme, “For every generation, vaccines still work,” participants commenced the awareness walk from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, to the Ishaga axis, distributing educational materials and engaging community members on vaccine-preventable diseases.
At the summit, which convened leading health experts, policymakers and practitioners, stakeholders were unanimous in their position that Nigeria’s challenge is not vaccine availability, but vaccination uptake. They called for stronger collective action to drive acceptance, particularly in underserved regions.
Pharm. Adekola Wojuola, the convener of the walk and summit, noted that the walk was designed to “disabuse minds from misinformation and reinforce the importance of vaccination.” He added, “From the theme, it is clear that public trust in vaccines must be regained if the past gains of immunisation are not to be eroded. Our walk is to educate the public and improve awareness of vaccine-preventable diseases.”
Wojuola, who is also the CEO of Preventive Health Nigeria Advocacy Operations Ltd, attributed growing apathy to widespread misinformation, noting that the core objectives of this year’s campaign are to highlight the value of vaccines and rebuild confidence. According to him, “Mistrust is being fuelled by negative narratives on social media and comments from influential voices. Many adverse events attributed to vaccines are unfounded, and with people relying on unverified sources, credible organisations must provide balanced, accurate information through initiatives like this.”
Tomiwa Dire-Arimoro of Save the Children International Nigeria, emphasised that while government provision of vaccines, facilities and trained personnel is critical, it is not sufficient. He pointed to a significant awareness gap, noting that many Nigerians are still unaware of available vaccines, especially those required at birth. He stressed that sustained advocacy and sensitisation are key to improving uptake.
Experts also raised concerns about Nigeria’s immunisation indicators, noting that the country accounts for an estimated two million zero-dose children—about 15 per cent of the global burden—and that roughly 41 per cent of childhood deaths are linked to vaccine-preventable diseases.
Prof. Richard Adegbola highlighted gaps in coverage, stating, “None of our antigens is meeting WHO recommendations in terms of vaccination coverage. There is significant room for improvement—we can do much better.” He warned against complacency, adding, “Complacency can lead to resurgence, and this is no longer theoretical. It is already happening in some Western countries where diseases like measles had been nearly eliminated.”
To drive progress, speakers including Prof. Adegbola, Pharm. Rahman Kelani, Mrs. Maureen Uwechia and Dr Olakunle Oladehinde proposed key strategies such as digitalising immunisation data, integrating community pharmacies, strengthening community engagement and adopting proactive risk communication.
They advocated a transition from paper-based systems to real-time electronic medical records using ICD-10 standards, alongside automated recall systems to track missed vaccinations and improve coverage.
They also emphasised the need to shift from top-down messaging to participatory engagement by leveraging trusted community voices such as religious and traditional leaders, while ensuring healthcare professionals communicate both benefits and potential side effects transparently.
Earlier during the walk, Oluwatoyosi Wojuola, a director at Preventive Health Nigeria Advocacy Operations Ltd, noted that vaccination has delivered measurable gains across generations, several decades down the line, especially among those who benefited from routine immunisation. She cited milestones such as polio eradication and progress in tackling cervical cancer, while cautioning that misinformation continues to threaten these gains.
Similarly, Matilda Paul, a radiography student of the University of Lagos, observed that community-based outreach enables deeper engagement, noting that such initiatives encourage mothers to come out with their children for more meaningful interactions and better understanding of immunisation.
Collectively, stakeholders at the events underscored that bridging the gap between vaccine availability and acceptance remains critical to securing Nigeria’s public health future.
