ANAMBRA COMMRNCES MEASLES IMMUNIZATION VACCINATION
REPORTER: ONYINYE CHIJIOBI
Anambra State Government has officially commenced the Measles Integrated Vaccination campaign in the area.
At the ceremony held in Uke Primary Health Center in Idemili North Local Government Area, the Commisioner for Health, Dr.Afam Obidike, said that health of the people was utmost in the agenda of the present administration.
Dr. Obidike explained that Idemili North was chosen for the commencement because it was one of the 17 local government areas that were hit by measles when the present government took over.
He noted that the present administration’s mandate on health is that no human being would die of any preventive diseases.
The Health Commissioner charged traditional rulers, presidents-general, among others to be in the forefront of mobilising the people to get vaccinated.
The Executive Secretary Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Chioma Ezenyimulu, said that the campaign was considered integrated because it would feature other primary health care services.
She noted that the state would stagger the measles campaign in 17 LGAs from 1st to 9th November 2022 while the phase two for other four remaining LGAs would hold from 15th to 23rd November.
Dr. Ezenyimulu, who said that government was fully committed in health programmes, called on parents, caregivers and school proprietors to present their children for immunization.
She described measles as an extremely contagious disease whose mortality rate is higher among children less than five years.
Earlier, the Transition Committee Chairman of Idemili North Local Government Area, Chief Brown Igboanua, while lamenting lack of medical doctors in their primary health center, urged parents to avail themselves of the opportunity to get their children vaccinated.
He noted that the people of Idemili North Local Government Council had already keyed in into the aspirations of the present administration in making the state prosperous.
High point of the event was the vaccination of children aged 9 to 59 months.
Health practitioners at the event were drawn from the twenty one local government areas of the state.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
