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Five years after the deadly strains of Wild Poliomyelitis virus was discovered in Northern Nigeria, government and health partners have seek to put an end to the transmission of the virus across states and nation’s through the introduction of high impact interventions with the latest being the “Outbreak Response Campaign”.
Flagging off the second round of the Poliomyelitis Outbreak Response Campaign” in Calabar, the Cross River State Capital, wife of the State Governor, Dr Linda Ayade reteriated government’s commitment to eradicating vaccine preventable diseases with emphasis on maternal and child Mortality reduction.
Dr Ayade said, though the state remains Poliomyelitis free , over 900,000 children will benefit from the exercise which is expected to last for a week in all 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
She said, though suspected cases have been recorded in some neighboring states around Cross River, none have been traced to the state , more reason why the government through the
Primary Healthcare Development Agency is expanding it’s approach to cover all under 5 children.
“If we don’t take proactive actions, we would have an unfortunate situation in the state that is why we have gathered here today in response to Poliomyelitis Vaccination .We have heard that our neighboring states have encountered this outbreak, but we are always fortunate hence we need to step up and get all children vaccinated”.
She noted that the best approach to such diseases are effective preparations which includes preventative approaches like vaccination , and most interestingly, the most dependable method in the state. She also encouraged Cross Riverians to take advantage of the ongoing Covid-19 Vaccination, while applauding the DG, CRSPHCDA, Dr Janet Ekpenyong for the wide coverage the state has registered so far in that regards.
Speaking earlier, Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong said, in the last two years, More children have been inoculated against vaccine preventable diseases which in turn has drastically reduced the rate of maternal and child mortality in the state, all thanks to the support and commitment of His Excellency, the Governor of Cross River State Sen Prof Ben Ayade and his dear wife, Dr Linda Ayade, who have invested resources in the health sector and also implemented health policies that have strengthened the health system.
According to Ekpenyong, it’s time for all parents and caregivers to make their children and wards available for vaccination as provision is already made for this high packed intervention to cover over 900,000 children with corresponding number of health workers sent to the field.
“We are targeting about 900, 000 children in Cross River and with the response we have gotten so far, I am sure we will exceed the target, health workers are in the field already, teams were formed and many of them will be sent to schools, markets, churches and other places of public interest while our fixed points in the facilities will also be”.
She said “we have decided to implement this high-impact intervention which we hope can reach out to our children within the ages of 0-59 months at no cost bearing in mind the effectiveness of this vaccine ”
She called on all health workers to cooperate with the government in ensuring that everyone targeted is reached within the designated days .
In a goodwill message presented by the Director of Public Health Dr Iwara who represented the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Betta Edu urged community members to help ensure that the state get rid of Poliomyelitis at all cost as the Ministry is committed to prevent and Eradicate all kinds of diseases from the state.
The Chairman House Committee on health, Dr Ekpo Ekpo Bassey also reiterated the commitment of the house of Assembly to enact laws that will promote the wellbeing of children in the state.
The Wife of the speaker of the house of Assembly, Mrs Imaobong Williams, The traditional leader Ntoe Orok Okon, the Secretary of the board, Barr Dan Effiom, representative of the World Health Organization, UNICEF, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Rotary Club International, AFFENET, MWAN and others commended the government for it’s swift responses in tackling infectious diseases as evidenced in the excellent job done by the DG, CRSPHCDA and her team, as they pledged to continually support such responses.
Highlight of the event was the vaccination of the children against Poliomyelitis and Covid-19 Vaccination by Her Excellency Dr Linda Ayade. And the pledge from the mothers and caregivers to ensure their children are vaccinated against poliomyelitis.
