Flood: Anambra Govt To Embark On aggressive Vaccination To Prevent Cholera Outbreak

The Anambra State Government has announced plans to embark on unified vaccination of citizens to prevent possible outbreaks of cholera and other infectious diseases in the state as an attendant effect of the devastating flood disaster.

The Executive Secretary of Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA), Dr Chioma Ezenyimulu, made this known in Awka at a one-day media engagement ahead of the state Measles Campaign which will be flagged off next Tuesday, October 25.

Ezenyimulu who was represented at the event by the State Director, Disease Control and Immunization, Dr. Placid Uliagbapusi, said though the state has scheduled to hold the measles vaccination campaign, the flood disaster being felt in seven out of the 21 Local Government Areas, had increased worries of a likely outbreak of cholera and other diseases.

“We are worried that with the devastating flood disaster, the state might witness cholera and other communicable diseases if care is not taken,” she said.

Uliagbapusi called on the public for enhanced hygiene and sanitation in their environment as that was critical to check the outbreak of communicable diseases.

“The measles vaccine campaign would be shifted to the seven Local Government Areas where the impact of the flood disaster is high. The forthcoming campaign is a stand-alone and that the target is 95 percent baseline coverage of the state, the target group is 9 to 59 months,” she stated.

Mr Christian Maluchukwu, an official of the World Health Organization (WHO) in a goodwill message, noted that there was the need for the media and the public to support the campaign.

“The state recorded the death of 14 children and 500 cases of measles in 16 Local Government Areas recently. Measles usually happens around November and February, if people will participate actively, the problem will be checkmated.”

Representatives of the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), delivered messages at the event with over 50 Media personnel and participants.