The Plateau State Government, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Malaria Consortium, has launched a coordinated health campaign to commemorate the 2025 World Malaria Day, Africa Vaccination Week, and the National Immunisation Plus Days.
The official flag-off ceremony, held in Jos, the state capital, forms part of ongoing efforts under the IMPACT Project, Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services.
Welcome Address
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Ba’amlong, described the event as a major milestone, reflecting a commitment to a more integrated health approach across Plateau State.
“This is a milestone that reflects our collective commitment to building a healthier, more resilient, and more inclusive society for our dear state. We are embracing a new way of thinking, with collaboration, coordination, and coherence at the heart of our development efforts.
It marks a bold shift from fragmented interventions to unified action, recognising that health outcomes are driven not by a single intervention or institution, but by the strength of collaboration across all sectors.
This approach also aligns with our policies: harmonising planning and pooling resources, so that when a mother visits a hospital, she can receive not only antenatal care or delivery services but also nutrition services, health education, immunisation, and vaccinations for herself and her child, all under one roof,” he said.
Official Launch
The First Lady of Plateau State, Mrs Helen Mutfwang, who officially launched the initiative, described it as a major step towards achieving better health outcomes through the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), which promotes “One plan, one budget, one report, one conversation, and one voice.”
“As we are aware, the goal of Vaccination Week is to strengthen immunisation programmes and raise awareness of the importance of vaccines against preventable diseases. World Malaria Day is commemorated nationwide on 25 April every year. This year’s theme, ‘Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,’ is a wake-up call for all of us. It emphasises renewed commitment, investment, and innovation in the fight against malaria.
I urge residents to actively participate in malaria prevention efforts by using treated mosquito nets, maintaining environmental cleanliness, and seeking early treatment,” she added.
Mrs Mutfwang also flagged off the 2025 National Immunisation Plus Days, scheduled for 26–29 April, during which health workers will conduct house-to-house vaccinations for children aged 0–5 years. She noted that Africa Vaccination Week, which commenced on 24 April, targets hard-to-reach communities in five local government areas, including Jos East, Bassa, and Langtang South.
Programme Overview
Also speaking, Nurse Kizito Ndak, Programme Manager of the State Malaria Elimination Programme, expressed gratitude to the First Lady for launching the three campaigns together, noting that the joint flag-off was intended to save costs and ensure better coordination.
“We decided to launch all projects at once to save cost and time.
I urge residents to sleep under treated mosquito nets and take advantage of the polio and other vaccines, which are safe and accessible across all 17 local government areas of the state.
Malaria remains the leading cause of death among children under five, but it is treatable if detected early,” he said.
Goodwill Messages
Dr Lucienne Dempouo, WHO/Polio Representative, commended Plateau State’s progress in immunisation and malaria control, urging a continued inclusive approach to healthcare delivery to ensure that no child is left behind.
Dr Patrick Akor, representing UNICEF, reported that 36,970 children had been vaccinated and that over 1.4 million vaccine doses had been procured for Plateau State. He called for increased government investment, improved security support, and greater parental commitment to child immunisation, particularly in remote communities.
Officials encouraged all residents to participate actively in the campaign, which includes free vaccinations and malaria prevention outreach across various communities within the state.
