Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has lauded the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Sydani Group for their immense support to the health sector in the state, which has significantly addressed some of the gaps in healthcare service delivery.
READ ALSO:2.3m children receives polio vaccine in Anambra state
Governor Souldo made the commendation at Outbreak Response 2 (OBR2) flag off ceremony for the implementation of Polio Vaccine campaign at Primary Health Centre (PHC) Umueze-Anam, Anambra West Local Government Area of the state, on Friday.
The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who highlighted the advancements recorded in healthcare sector in the state including in infrastructure and staff, said that since the beginning of the current administration, health sector has been one critical sector the government has been focusing on with a view to changing the narrative of the health sector in the state.
He emphasized that such commitment of the current government can also be seen in the consistent youth empowerment programme, construction and rehabilitation of roads, employment of 8,000 teachers and employment of over 400 health workers.
Soludo urged communities to raise awareness for widespread vaccination to eradicate Polio in Anambra State.
Presenting his address ,the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, expressed concern about low birth registration in Anambra West and revealed the goal of the state government to reach at least 2.3 million children under the age of of 0-59months in this second phase of the outbreak response.
Dr Obidike said the first phase of the campaign which was held from September 16 to 19 2023, targeted over 1.5 million children but it recorded 140 per cent coverage as over 2.3million children got vaccinated.
Obidike said the second phase vaccination was still in response to the outbreak of Polio Virus in a neighbouring town, Nkanu West in Enugu state.
“We encourage parents and caregivers to present their children to be immunised to strengthen their immunity against the virus. We are also integrating routine immunisation during this four-day exercise as well as birth registration for children to help the state government with data to plan for their healthcare. So, it is an all encompassing campaign. The vaccines are safe and free of charge. We are hopeful that the campaign would be successful like we had in the first phase. We urge the media to take the news out there so that people can understand the need to vaccinate their children against disease. Vaccinated children live healthy and longer.”
The commissioner also disclosed that the campaign is implemented by the Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency in partnership with WHO, UNICEF and Sydani Group.He emphasized that the vaccines are safe and free of charge and urged residents to report any health worker who demands money to administer the vaccines.
Speaking at the event , Pharmacist Chisom Uchem, Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA), said the state had taken delivery of over two million doses of the polio vaccine for the OBR-II campaign.
Uchem said the vaccination would
start on Saturday, Nov. 11 and end on Nov. 14 in the 21 local government areas of the state.
“These few days, we will go all out to the nooks and crannies of the state to strengthen and surpass what we recorded in the first phase of the vaccination.”
On his part, the state Coordinator of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Adamu Abdul-Nasir, commended Anambra for exceeding the target and recording top in the Southeast in the first phase of the vaccination exercise.
Abdul-Nasir said, “We want to commend the state government for its political will and proactive measures in preventing the polio virus from spreading to the state.
“In this second phase, WHO is supporting the state with logistics and allowances for over 9,000 personnel who will be going to homes, churches, markets, streets and schools to administer the vaccines. We are also supporting hard-to-reach communities to ensure that all eligible children get vaccinated”.
The Igwe of Umueze Anam, appreciated the state government for officially kicking off the exercise in his domain.
