Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) has questioned Oyo State’s childhood immunisation performance amid reports of a diphtheria outbreak affecting multiple local government areas, citing figures that show the state received approximately ₦9.8 billion in World Bank financing under an immunisation and malaria intervention programme.
The organisation called on Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration to strengthen its response to the outbreak and account for the funds committed to immunisation and the prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases.
In a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, SSACO said Oyo’s reported immunisation coverage raised questions about the reach and effectiveness of interventions under the World Bank-supported Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project.
According to figures cited by the campaign organisation, Oyo’s childhood immunisation coverage increased from 51.3 per cent in the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) to 55 per cent in the 2025–2026 survey, representing a rise of 3.7 percentage points.
The figures put Oyo below the other five South-West states in the regional comparison presented by SSACO.
Coverage reportedly rose from 58.2 to 84.9 per cent in Ekiti, 52.1 to 86 per cent in Lagos, 52.1 to 63.9 per cent in Ogun, 59.8 to 84 per cent in Ondo, and 54.4 to 78.1 per cent in Osun.
Across the South-West, the organisation said, immunisation coverage increased from 58.2 to 72.5 per cent, a rise of 14.3 percentage points.
SSACO described the reported diphtheria outbreak and the immunisation figures as issues requiring urgent public attention, particularly because vaccination can prevent the disease.
“The reported outbreak of diphtheria, with the associated concerns about cases and fatalities among children, should be a wake-up call for Oyo State. Every child deserves protection against vaccine-preventable diseases, and the government must demonstrate that its immunisation programme is reaching vulnerable communities effectively,” the statement said.
16 Oyo LGAs reportedly affected
The campaign organisation listed 16 local government areas reportedly affected by the outbreak as 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.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that commonly affects the nose and throat. It can cause breathing difficulties, heart complications and death, particularly when diagnosis and treatment are delayed.
SSACO urged the state government to work with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and relevant development partners to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission.
It also called on the state’s Director of Public Health to explain the factors contributing to the reported outbreak and provide an account of resources spent on immunisation and disease prevention.
“This is an urgent public health concern that demands clear and timely response. The protection of human lives must not be subordinated to political publicity,” the organisation said.
Oyo received ₦9.8bn in IMPACT funds
SSACO said Oyo was the only South-West state among the 12 states participating in the Immunization Plus component of the IMPACT Project.
Other participating states are Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau and Sokoto.
Citing audited financial records, the organisation said Oyo had received approximately ₦9.832 billion in cumulative World Bank/International Development Association (IDA) funds under the project as of December 31, 2024.
It added that the state’s ₦41 million contribution and ₦13.45 million in miscellaneous and interest income brought cumulative project receipts to approximately ₦9.886 billion.
“Billions of naira in development financing must translate into measurable improvements in public health. These funds are not free money; they are part of development financing that carries obligations and must deliver value to the people who will ultimately bear the cost,” SSACO said.
The organisation called for a comprehensive review of the project’s financial records, implementation activities and measurable outcomes, arguing that the reported immunisation figures and outbreak warranted greater scrutiny.
It demanded the publication of updated IMPACT Project financial and implementation reports, including subsequent disbursements, expenditure by project component, planned vaccination targets, actual coverage achieved and measures taken to reach underserved communities.
SSACO also questioned the continued engagement of a retired Primary Health Care Board (PHCB) IMPACT Programme Manager involved in the project’s implementation, saying transparency in staffing and programme management was essential given the scale of the funding and concerns about the programme’s outcomes.
“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,” the organisation said.
