The Edo State Government, through the Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening immunization and disease surveillance efforts in the state. This was demonstrated by the successful hosting of the first quarterly immunization and disease surveillance technical meeting for 2026.
Held on Monday, April 27, 2026, at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA) in Benin City, the meeting provided an opportunity to review immunization and surveillance activities for the first quarter of the year. It also focused on identifying challenges and setting priorities for the upcoming second quarter of 2026.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary EDSPHCDA, Dr. Coulson Oahimire Osoikhia, who was represented by Dr. Eseigbe Efeomon, Director of Disease Control and Immunization at EDSPHCDA, emphasized the importance of reviewing the first-quarter immunization and surveillance data. In his words, “We are here today to assess the immunization and surveillance efforts of the first quarter of 2026. This review will help identify and close any gap that needs to be addressed to ensure that our immunization coverage remains high. We will also focus on the Local Government Areas (LGAs) that face challenges in service delivery and find solutions to improve their performance in the second quarter,” he stated.
The WHO State Coordinator, Dr. Mrs. Nora Eyo, also highlighted the significance of the meeting, noting that it allowed technical partners to join forces with the Agency to assess immunization data and performance indicators for disease surveillance. She added, “We reviewed the data captured by the Monitoring and Evaluation officers in the 18 LGAs. By identifying where some LGAs performed well, we discussed those successful strategies with other LGAs, encouraging improvements in the next quarter.”
Also speaking, the NPHCDA State Coordinator for Edo, Mr. Jerry Lawani Osawe, stated the importance of surveillance in tracking outbreaks and managing health risks. “This initiative is crucial because it brings together all stakeholders involved in disease surveillance and immunization. The collaboration will help Edo State create practical solutions that will improve immunization and disease surveillance efforts across the state,” Mr. Osawe explained.
The meeting provided a platform for stakeholders to engage in plenary discussions, where they addressed immunization and disease surveillance priorities for 2026. They also explored the challenges faced in the first quarter and brainstormed on innovative strategies to strengthen immunization and disease surveillance responses for the second quarter.
Attendees included the State Immunization Officer and the State Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer, as well as LGA Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, Monitoring and Evaluation Officers, and Local Immunization Officers from all 18 LGAs and partners like the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, John Snow Incorporated, and Corona Management Systems (CMS).
