By Juliana Nwachukwu
The Onitsha South Local Government Area has officially launched a measles and rubella vaccination campaign targeting children aged 9 months to 14 years. The launch event took place at Umunna Primary Health Center Odoakpu.
The Supervisory Councillor for Health, Hon. Mrs. Ebere Udodeme, announced that the vaccination programme is free and sponsored by the Federal, State, and Local Governments in collaboration with the World Health Organization. The campaign will run for 10 days, from February 4 to 15, with health workers visiting schools, churches, and homes to immunize children within the target age group.
According to Mrs. Udodeme, the vaccination exercise will continue in various health centers after the initial campaign, targeting babies aged 9 to 23 months. She urged parents to take advantage of the free vaccination programme to protect their children from Measles and Rubella.
The Director of Primary Health Care, Mrs. Udegbunam Chizoba, explained that rubella can cause serious health problems for babies born to infected mothers, including eye problems and heart defects. The vaccination campaign will be followed by a 2-day mop-up exercise to immunize children who were not reached during the initial period.
The immunization programme will also provide other essential vaccines, including hepatitis and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, for girls aged 9, which helps prevent cervical cancer.
The Ward Development Committee Chairman on Health Level, Mr. Francis Nwoye, commended the Mayor, Hon. Emeka Orji, and health workers for their efforts in mobilizing the community for the vaccination exercise. He described the turnout as impressive and urged parents to take advantage of the free vaccination programme.
The initiative has been praised by various stakeholders, including the LGA health educator, local immunization officer, and youth leaders, who noted that it is one of the best immunization programmes they have seen. They urged parents to allow their children to be immunized and take advantage of the free healthcare service.
Juliana is of the Ministry of Information Anambra State
