The Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA), Pharm Chisom Uchem has chaired the weekly Technical Working Group (TWG) meeting for the 2024 Measles vaccination campaign in the State.
The meeting was aimed at accessing Anambra State’s preparedness for the integrated Measles vaccination campaign.
It had in attendance ASPHCDA team and Partners to include: Director Disease Control and Immunization, Dr Nnamdi Placid Uliagbafusi and WHO Anambra State Coordinator, Dr Bonos Mohammed.
The activities discussed at the meeting include: update on action points from last meeting, report on pending pre implementation activities, plan for lower level training, Anambra State implementation date, and review of action points.
*Nnedinma is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
Following activities geared toward achieving success in the forthcoming Intergrated Measles campaign, the Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA) in collaboration with State Ministry of Health (SMOH) and Partners, has held a one-day engagement meeting with Health Education Teachers.
The engagement meeting aimed at ensuring the State achieves its 95 percent coverage with no eligible child of nine to 59 months left unimmunized in the upcoming October 12 to 18 Measles campaign holds in Awka, Anambra capital city.
It had Health Education Teachers in attendance from schools across the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State together with ASPHCDA team and Partners: NPHCDA, UNICEF, WHO, CHAI and AFENET.
Pharm Chisom Uchem, Executive Secretary, ASPHCDA, represented by Director Disease Control and Immunization, ASPHCDA, Dr Nnamdi Placid Uliagbafusi urged the Health Education Teachers to work for the inclusion of immunization in their curriculum.
She noted that the meeting would impact on the Teachers with adequate knowledge to be able to respond to questions and be Ambassadors to impact knowledge to others in their respective schools on the importance of immunization.
NPHCDA Representative, Mrs Josephine Erugo noted that the event was an opportunity to educate the teachers on Measles vaccination coming up in the state which was for the protection of the Nigerian Child.
The UNICEF SBC Consultant, Dr Uju Eze noted that UNICEF works toward the betterment of women and children and the forthcoming Intergrated Measles Campaign exercise was geared toward the betterment of children.
She urged the Health Education Teachers as Stakeholders to participate actively as they would aid in serving as Health Focal Persons in their respective LGAs which was for the good of women and children.
The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) Consultant, Dr Joseph Agboeze noted that their organisation strongly supports immunization in Nigeria in the areas of human resources with technical expertise as their field officers would be part of the campaign.
The Chilton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Technical Assistant, Mr Obinna Ezem, emphasizing that CHAI supports vaccination in Anambra State urged the Health Education Teachers to help cascade knowledge gained from the meeting in their communities for the program to be effective with desired results achieved.
The UNICEF ASUBEB Desk Officer, Mrs Cecilia Ofuonye urged for corporation of the teachers in the upcoming vaccination exercise as the meeting would aid sensitize them on informations about the campaign.
The Health Education Teachers while asking questions on areas of clarification, pledged their support toward ensuring success in the forthcoming Intergrated Measles vaccination campaign in the State.
*Nnedinma is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
The Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA) in collaboration with State Ministry of Health (SMOH) and Partners hold one-day Education Stakeholders engagement meeting for upcoming Integrated Measles Vaccination Campaign in Anambra State.
The meeting had in attendance Education Secretaries/Officers-In-Charge from the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State, Partners: NPHCDA, UNICEF, CHAI, and AFENET together with ASPHCDA team.
The Executive Secretary, ASPHCDA, Pharm Chisom Uchem represented by the Director Disease Control and Immunization, ASPHCDA, Dr Nnamdi Placid Uliagbafusi noted that the Education Stakeholders play a crucial role in ensuring success of the campaign in the State.
She urged the Stakeholders to be Ambassadors and help spread the gospel of the vaccination campaign aimed at protecting children as the meeting would aid in equipping them on the necessary information they may need.
The NPHCDA Anambra State Coordinator, Mr Obioha Agbakwuru expressed gratitude to Education Stakeholders and the Media for support given to previous Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs) conducted in the past.
He noted that they occupy strategic positions in providing mobilisation and ensuring that target population of SIAs were achieved.
“Presently we are about conducting the Intergrated Measles campaign and we solicit for your continuous support in ensuring that Anambra achieves its 95 percent coverage target for the exercise whilst ensuring that no eligible child of nine to 59 months is missed.
“Most of the target population to be vaccinated for the Measles campaign would be reached in schools, which is why the Media and Education Secretaries/Officers-In-Charge play a crucial role in this exercise.”
He, then, on behalf of NPHCDA solicited for the Stakeholders continued support in ensuring that all eligible children in respective schools in the 21 LGAs of the State are vaccinated during the Intergrated Measles campaign.
The UNICEF SBC Consultant, Dr Uju Eze emphasized the importance and role of the Stakeholders, as most of the target groups for the vaccination are in schools. She gave an overview of the 2024 Intergrated SIAs, noting that the meeting would create an avenue for discussions on success of the campaign.
Mrs Chinenye Udeani, CHAI Technical Assistant explained that the Measles campaign was Intergrated as it could be leveraging on the activity to create awareness/sensitize girls and parents/caregivers on the benefits of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccine.
The Anambra State Health Educator (SHE), Mrs Uju Onwuegbuzina anchoring the meeting, urged all hands to be on deck in ensuring that no eligible child for the vaccination is left unimmunized in Anambra State.
*Nnedinma is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
