…As Rotary Club, Ikeja GRA Donate Branded Aprons To LASG
Agegepulse Magazine
As Nigeria continue to revel in the zero case of polio recorded in the country in the last thirty months, the Lagos State government is leaving no stone unturned in the quest towards ensuring the state maintained a clean slate against poliomyelitis.
Though, there are isolated environmental cases in Makoko, Maracana and Itire, LASG is however set for the commencement of a 4-day house to house immunization campaign for children aged zero to five years across the state from Saturday June 15 to Tuesday June 18, Agegepulse Magazine has gathered.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Titilayo Goncalves, revealed that the four-day campaign is safe, free and aimed at ensuring that all child is vaccinated.
She said; “The immunization is safe and free. It can be taken in spite of former Immunization status and no child is safe from the vaccine preventable diseases until immunized.”
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Tayo Lawal described polio as a viral disease that is yet to be eradicated in Nigeria even though it is one of the major vaccine-preventable killer diseases of children under the age of five.
He revealed several efforts the state is putting in place to ensure Lagos maintained a clean slate from polio adding that the only means of prevention of the disease is through the oral polio vaccination.
He said; “To ensure the success of this second leg of this year’s campaign which is being is being conducted by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Lagos State Ministry of Health (LSMoH), and Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (LSPHCB) with support from health development partners such as WHO, UNICEF, CDC-AFENET and Rotary International, many training workshops had been organized to strengthen the capacity of health workers/vaccinators and social mobilizers across the State, Local Government and Ward levels.”
“The State Government has equally embarked on public and media sensitization and awareness campaigns one of which is this town hall meeting with health correspondents. Specifically, town announcements; community dialogues; mosque/church announcements; sensitizations with schools; and advocacy meetings with LGA Executives and key traditional and religious leaders have been and are still being carried out. Volunteers from developing partners such as UNICEF, Rotary Club International to mention a few have also been involved in the creation of the needed awareness at all levels.”
Lawal stressed that, “the polio vaccination campaign would involve house-to-house, transit and fixed post teams. Children at homes, markets, churches, mosques, major car parks and social event venues would be specifically targeted. The house-to-house and transit components of these teams comprising of 7381 trained personnel will administer only OPV to children aged 0–59 months irrespective of their immunization status. They will also encourage the eligible children in the houses to visit the immunization posts located within all our Primary health care centers and General hospitals for the other antigens. The operations will be between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily.
Also speaking, the representative of World Health Organisation, WHO, Dr. Fiona Braka, said Nigeria has made remarkable progress in the fight against polio stating that Nigeria is now 32 months without a wild polio virus.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of 2000 branded aprons for Polio Immunization Officials of the Lagos State government by members of Rotary Club, Ikeja, GRA.
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