The Enugu State Government says it is targeting 1.2 million under five-year-old children for its May Mass Polio Vaccination in the state.
Dr George Ugwu, Executive Secretary of Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA), disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Tuesday.
According to Ugwu, ENS-PHCDA, in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and other partners, will hold the May 2022 Mass Polio Vaccination from Saturday, May 14, to Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
“The statewide vaccination would take place simultaneously in all neighbourhoods in all Local Government Areas of the state.
“This immunisation campaign is for children between the ages of 0 and five, irrespective of the children’s immunisation status.
“During the programme, trained and authorised health workers will visit homes, schools, churches, market places and everywhere children under-5 years are found to drop oral polio vaccine into their mouths.
“Other immunisation services will always be ongoing in all health centres scattered in various communities within the state during this period,” he said.
Ugwu further explained that the four-day exercise might be extended, adding “there might be a mop up of extra two days for neighbourhoods or areas with peculiar terrains”.
The executive secretary said that the “vaccines are free, safe and effective”, noting that “the vaccine protects children from poliomyelitis infection, which paralyses or kills infected children”.
The ENS-PHCDA boss urged parents and caregivers as well as elders and community leaders to ensure that children are made available for the vaccination to safe-guard them and ensure their optimal health.
He also appealed to mothers and caregivers to take their children under two years with their health cards to health centres nearest to them for the other routine vaccines.
“We should collectively protect our children and loved ones from dangerous diseases preventable by free, safe and effective vaccines,” he added.
NAN recalls that NPHCDA commended Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi over the 100 per cent performance of Enugu State in the National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDS) campaign held between Feb. 5 and Feb. 9.
The commendation is contained in a letter signed by the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib. (NAN)
