Kwara, UNICEF, Others Urge Religious, Traditional Leaders To Tackle Vaccine Myths

The Kwara State government has called on traditional institutions and religious leaders to tackle myths and misconceptions surrounding vaccination to protect children against poliomyelitis and other vaccine-preventable diseases and reduce maternal and infant mortality.

The executive secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Prof. Nusirat Elelu, made the call at a one-day orientation programme for religious leaders on promoting positive norms through the Faith-For-Life approach in the state.

Elelu described traditional institutions and religious leaders as influential figures who command trust and respect in their respective communities and religious settings, stressing that their involvement was crucial to addressing maternal and infant mortality.

She noted that some religious groups discourage practices such as blood transfusion and caesarean section, urging religious leaders to acquire the necessary knowledge to address such beliefs and counter misinformation.

According to her, protecting the health and survival of women and children must remain a collective responsibility, adding that every pregnant woman deserves appropriate antenatal care and that efforts must be intensified to reduce stillbirths.

She also emphasised the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life and routine immunisation to protect children against preventable diseases.

Elelu, however, expressed concern that misconceptions, misinformation and cultural barriers sometimes delay healthcare-seeking and prevent families from accessing essential health services.

Also speaking, the Social & Behavior Change Specialist of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Kaduna Field Office, Mr. Ibrahim Tsado, urged religious leaders to take responsibility for dispelling myths and misinformation about vaccines in their respective communities.

Tsado encouraged the participants to educate their congregations and communities on the importance of immunisation, describing vaccination as a safe and approved means of protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases.

The UNICEF representative explained that vaccines undergo strict regulatory processes before approval, noting that they are among the most highly regulated products worldwide.

Similarly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) State Coordinator, Dr. Eyitayo Emmanuel, emphasised the safety of vaccines, explaining that they undergo rigorous processes before approval by the appropriate regulatory authorities.

In her remarks, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) State Coordinator, Dr. Gloria Enueze, urged mothers to ensure their children receive routine immunisation.