The Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), with support from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), successfully conducted Optimized Outreach Sessions of routine immunization from the 10th to 14th of June 2026 across Edo State
Over the course of five days, 486 vaccination teams were deployed to underserved and hard‑to‑reach communities, ensuring that over 17,000 under‑immunized and unimmunized children received life‑saving vaccines. This large‑scale outreach was designed to ramp up immunization coverage, sustain herd immunity, and protect children against preventable childhood killer diseases such as measles, polio, and diphtheria.
The Executive Secretary EDSPHCDA, Dr. Coulson Osoikhia, joined some of the teams in the field and expressed profound appreciation to the State Governor, His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Monday Okpebholo, for his support to primary health care service delivery in Edo State. He noted that the Governor’s commitment, particularly in strengthening vaccine cold chain management, has been pivotal in ensuring safe storage and timely distribution of vaccines across all 18 LGAs. Dr. Osoikhia emphasized that vaccines remain essential for the prevention of childhood diseases and urged parents and caregivers to ensure their wards receive them on schedule.
Also speaking, the State Immunization Officer, Mrs. Sonia Balogun, commended the large turnout of children in most settlements visited. She highlighted the willingness of parents to immunize their children, noting that this reflects growing awareness of the importance and safety of routine vaccines. According to her, the strong community response demonstrates increasing confidence in immunization services and reinforces the State’s commitment to ensuring that no child is left behind.
The outreach not only boosted immunization coverage but also strengthened community trust in PHC services. By reaching thousands of children across all 18 LGAs, Edo State has reaffirmed its dedication to safeguarding child health, reducing preventable deaths, and sustaining herd immunity that protects entire communities.
