The reported spread of diphtheria across several local government areas of Oyo State has triggered fresh questions over the protection of children against vaccine-preventable diseases, with the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation accusing the state government of poor immunisation performance despite billions of naira in development funding.
The organisation, in a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, called on Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently strengthen the state’s response to the outbreak and explain what had been done with funds provided to improve immunisation and primary healthcare delivery.
It cited childhood immunisation figures which, according to the organisation, put Oyo at the bottom of the six South-West states, with coverage rising from 51.3 per cent in 2024 to 55 per cent in the 2025–2026 figures it referenced.
The campaign organisation said the reported outbreak, alongside the figures, raised concerns about whether vaccination services were reaching children in vulnerable and underserved communities.
Diphtheria is a potentially fatal bacterial infection that commonly affects the nose and throat. It can cause breathing difficulties, heart complications and other serious health problems, particularly when diagnosis and treatment are delayed. Vaccination remains a key means of preventing the disease.
The organisation listed Atisbo, Ibadan North-West, Oyo West, Akinyele, Saki, Egbeda, Oriire, Ibadan North, Ibadan South-West, Iwajowa, Ona-Ara, Atiba, Lagelu, Ogbomosho North, Surulere and Oluyole among the local government areas reportedly affected.
However, it did not provide a breakdown of confirmed cases, fatalities or the dates of the reported infections in the statement.
It added that every child deserved protection against vaccine-preventable diseases and urged the government to demonstrate that its immunisation programme was effectively reaching communities at risk.
The organisation also called on the Director of Public Health to explain the factors behind the reported outbreak and account for resources spent on immunisation and disease prevention.
Oyo trails regional counterparts
The campaign organisation’s concern centres largely on the immunisation figures it cited, which suggest that Oyo has made slower progress than its South-West counterparts.
According to the figures, Oyo’s coverage increased by just 3.7 percentage points, from 51.3 per cent in 2024 to 55 per cent in the 2025–2026 survey figures referenced by the organisation.
Ogun recorded an increase from 52.1 to 63.9 per cent, Ondo rose from 59.8 to 84 per cent, and Osun improved from 54.4 to 78.1 per cent.
Across the South-West, the organisation said, immunisation coverage increased from 58.2 to 72.5 per cent.
The figures, if confirmed against the underlying survey reports and their methodology, would place Oyo behind its five regional counterparts and raise questions about the reach of its vaccination interventions.
The organisation argued that the state should explain why its progress remained comparatively limited, particularly when funding had been made available to strengthen immunisation services.
₦9.9bn in project receipts
The campaign organisation also questioned the results achieved under the World Bank-supported Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project.
It noted that Oyo is among 12 states participating in the project’s Immunisation Plus component, alongside Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau and Sokoto.
Citing available audited financial records, the organisation said cumulative World Bank/International Development Association funds received by Oyo under the project stood at approximately ₦9.832bn as of December 31, 2024.
It added that the state’s contribution of ₦41m and miscellaneous and interest income of ₦13.45m brought cumulative receipts to approximately ₦9.886bn.
The organisation argued that the reported funding and immunisation figures warranted a detailed review of how the resources had been deployed and what improvements they had delivered.
“Billions of naira in development financing must translate into measurable improvements in public health,” it said, adding that the financing carried obligations and should deliver value to the people.
It demanded the publication of updated project financial and implementation reports, including subsequent disbursements, expenditure by component, planned vaccination targets, actual coverage achieved and measures taken to reach underserved communities.
The organisation’s demands place the focus not only on the money received but also on the outcomes achieved, including whether children in communities with limited access to healthcare are being reached by routine vaccination programmes.
Calls for stronger outbreak response
Beyond the funding questions, the organisation urged the state government to work closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and relevant development partners to contain the reported outbreak and prevent further transmission.
It called for a stronger and more transparent public-health response, including an explanation of the challenges affecting immunisation delivery.
The organisation also questioned the continued engagement of a retired Primary Health Care Board IMPACT Programme Manager involved in project implementation, arguing that the scale of the programme and concerns about its outcomes made transparency in staffing and management essential.
It did not provide further details of the individual’s role or the circumstances surrounding the engagement in the statement.
“Oyo State has qualified medical and public-health professionals whose expertise should be effectively deployed to strengthen the system. We must insist on accountability and competent programme management,” it said
