By Ovat Abeng
Anambra Government has flagged off it integrated measles campaign across the 21 local government area of the State.
The flagged off ceremony held at the Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) Okpouno, in Awka South Council Area, on Saturday.
Declaring the ceremony open, the State Governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, informed the people that the vaccination exercise is offer free of charge.
Soludo who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Ben Obidike said that the programme was a symbolic event to show that the state was ready to commence active comprehensive vaccination to preventable diseases which may cause harm to the children.
According to him, the vaccination is free in all the PHCs across the state. We are encouraging people, particularly, the nursing mothers not to be afraid of visiting any PHC centre nearest to them.
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“The measles vaccine will be administered to children aged nine to 59 months respectively. Immunization officials have been deployed to all the PHC’s to ensure effectiveness and transparency.”
Commending the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and other health partners, the governor urged the Immunization coordinator in the state to ensure that the vaccines are always available across the 21 LGAs health facilities.
In her speech, the Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA), Pharm Chisom.Uchem while also commending WHO UNICEF, and other health partners for their continues support in ensuring quality health care services in the state, announced that the exercise is scheduled for 2nd-8th November, 2924.
The ASPHCDA boss noted that the essence of the Integrated Measles Campaign is to stop the spread of the outbreak, save lives of young children and curtailed burden on the health care system in Anambra State.
WHO Coordinator in South East Nigeria, Dr Chukwumuanya Igboekwu, in his remark, expressed happiness that WHO has been part of the process in safeguarding and preserving the lives of Anambra residents.
According to Igboekwu, the measles campaign is a promotion of Primary Health which is the foundation of a strong health system and the most viable pathway for health security and universal health coverage.
“What we are doing here today, is a tri-partite partnership between the communities, the state government and the development partners, and before the end of governor Soludo administration, we will take the health care system in Anambra to the greatest position so that other states and other countries in the world can come and study what is happening in the State, the coordinator stated.
In their separate remarks, the Chairman of Awka South Council Area, Prince Chinedu Okafor, represented by the council health supervisor, Hon Frank Ajezu and the Councilor, Okpouno ward, Hon Kenneth Okonkwo while urging mothers/caregivers to ensure their wards partake in the vaccination exercise, noted that the people of the area will key fully into the programme.
They also promised to publicized the programme across the communities that constitute the council area.