ANAMBRA HEALTH COMMISSIONER URGES STAKEHOLDERS ON IMMUNIZATIONS ROLES
By Nnedinma Okeke :
As part of Pre implementation activities to ensure success in the Big Catch Up (BCU) campaign to be held in nine Local Government Areas (LGAs) with zero dose/unimmunized children, Stakeholders in a meeting has been urged to play their roles by ensuring immunization message gets to grassroots.
The nine LGAs includes: Aguata, Ayamelum, Anaocha, Idemili North, Idemili South, Ihiala, Orumba North, Orumba South, and Nnewi South LGAs respectively.
The Stakeholders Engagement/Town hall meeting for the BCU exercise was organised by the Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA) in collaboration with State Ministry of Health (SMOH) and Partners.
Commissioner, SMOH, Dr Afam Obidike represented by the Permanent Secretary, SMOH, Pharm Obiageli Uchebo noted that immunization campaigns were opportunities for Stakeholders to play their roles in their respective communities.
“This is the time for us to inform, sensitize, and educate our people on vaccinations which is important, and key in eliminating vaccine preventable diseases.”
He explained that the catch-up exercise was an opportunity for missed children of zero to 59 months of age to be reached and immunised as vaccinations has drastically reduced deaths and abnormalities caused by vaccine preventable diseases.
The Executive Secretary, ASPHCDA, Pharm Chisom Uchem emphasized that immunization messages were life saving messages toward good health and well-being for all.
The ES represented by the Director Disease Control and Immunization, ASPHCDA, Dr Nnamdi Placid Uliagbafusi pleaded the Stakeholders to ensure that the immunization messages get to every part of their communities to ensure that no missed child was left unimmunized.
The Anambra State Chapter, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman, Venerable Joseph Nweke, thanked the State Government and Partners supporting the programme for all their efforts in ensuring that children were protected from vaccine preventable diseases.
He assured that Religious leaders would play their roles in ensuring that the BCU campaign was successful in the implementing LGAs of the State.
Prince Chris Azor, Chairman Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Anambra, noting that idea behind the BCU campaign was not to leave any child unimmunized, assured of CSOs support in informing and sensitising people on the exercise for it to achieve its desired results.
The meeting had in attendance: Traditional Rulers, Religious leaders, Presidents General, Women Leaders, Youths, CSOs, Education Stakeholders, the Media, State Team, and Partners.
*Nnedinma is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State