Measles: Anambra Targets Over 1m Children For Vaccination
Loading ...By Nedum Noble
Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA), on Tuesday said about 1,169, 800 children are to be vaccinated under the 2018 measles vaccination campaign in Anambra state.
The Head of Department, Immunization and Disease Control, of the agency, Dr. Nnamdi Uliagbafusi made the disclosure in Awka, Anambra state, during a media parley on measles vaccination campaign sensitization
He said the state government has approved and released the sum of N27.4millon as its counterparts funds for the exercise.
Uliagbafusi hinted that the exercise which would commence on March 8 to 20, would cover the entire state, including Anambra Central, South and North senatorial zones.
“The exercise will start from 8th – 13th March 2018 in Anambra Central and South Senatorial zone, while that of Anambra North would commence from 15th – 20th March 2018.
“The exercise will be carried out in fixed posts in Public health facilities, mission and some private health facilities, temporary fixed post like schools, churches, markets and mosques,” he said.
According to Uliagbafusi, the exercise earlier slated for the 1st of March, was shifted to give room for adequate planning and implimention as well as further awareness creation.
He explained that children qualified for the exercise are those within the ages of 9 months to 5 years, urging mothers and caregivers to take advantage of the free and safe exercise for the immunization of their wards.
Expressing displeasure over the negative effects generated by the rumored monkey pox vaccination in the state, appreciated the media for assisting in refuting the report, appealing for further supports in the area of public enlightenment.
Also speaking, the State coordinator, World health organization (WHO) office, Dr. Willy Onuorah said the interest of the organization was to ensure that no child was omitted in the exercise, saying it is working in teams comprising of seven officers.
“We are not carrying out the campaign because we have enough money to spend or enough drugs to dispense, but our campaign is based on evidence,” he said.
He described vaccination as the most effective way to tackling the disease among children, saying “vaccine is 99% safe, remove vaccination, over 25% children would be prone to measles.”
