OYO State government has told mothers that vaccination against preventable diseases is important to protect and prevent infections like polio, while ensuring that families do not end up spending money meant for food and other basic needs on accessing healthcare services.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, speaking at the flag-off ceremony for the National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) campaign in the state, stated that vaccines are safe and effective, while urging parents to ensure their children receive the vaccine for a better future.
Ajetunmobi, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Health, Dr Soji Adeyanju, said although Oyo does not have any cases of vaccine-derived polio, the immunisation campaign is aimed at ensuring that young children less than five years who may be susceptible to polio are protected by taking the vaccine.
“This vaccination campaign, especially on this year’s Independence Day celebration, is to give Nigerian children independence from vaccine-preventable illnesses. We must ensure that young children less than five years old who may be susceptible to it are protected by the polio vaccine. This is actually preventive and protective; that is why we are doing it today,” he said.
Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Muideen Olatunji, said the immunisation campaign was with the intent of expanding coverage for childhood vaccines in the state, through a house-to-house campaign and visits to congregational places such as religious gatherings, parties and markets across the state.
“We don’t want to wait until we have a vaccine-derived polio outbreak or that of any other vaccine-preventable diseases before we take a proactive step. Nigeria has been delisted as one of the polio-endemic countries in the world.
“If we leave a child unimmunised, 200 other children are at risk of contracting polio from that single child. So despite the fact that we have succeeded in eradicating polio, we should still do this campaign from time to time to make sure that no single child is missed, so that we can have a healthy team of infants and young ones,” he said.
In a remark, World Health Organisation (WHO) representative, Dr Philips Zonto, said the circulation of vaccine-derived polio is still an issue in Nigeria, adding that it can also cause paralysis, including death in its most severe form.
He urged mothers to extend the campaign to ensure that all children in their neighbourhood are immunised against polio.
“Even if your child is vaccinated but another child in your neighbourhood is not, your child is still at risk of polio. The unvaccinated child can still transmit it to your child. As such, your child can still develop complications from it, including paralysis,” he said.
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