As fragile as the country is, concern must taken against diseases outbreaks in respect of Lassa fever, Bird Flu and the rest. We should endeavor to Vaccinate ourselves including the children against diseases like meningitis, hepatitis and the likes.
According to the Director, National Centre of Diseases Control, Abuja, Prof. Abdulsalam Nasidi, the new strain of meningitis has killed a significant number of people.
Nasidi says, “There is the need to inform Nigerians that there have been reported cases of Meningitis ‘C’ and it is killing people. The Type ‘A’ has been successfully dealt with and now we are battling with the ‘C’ type.
“ I call on all state governors especially those in the North-West to start warming up to introduce vaccines.”Lately, vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, diarrhoea, pneumonia and meningitis have been killing Nigerians. The worst hits are children, whose parents could have saved them from premature deaths by doing the needful.
Here is a list of some important vaccines that parents must ensure that their children take for all round protection :
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Vaccine
The BCG vaccine is the only tuberculosis vaccine currently available, although there are other TB vaccines under development. It is a relatively inexpensive, safe, and readily available vaccine.
The BCG vaccine is normally given to children as it has been shown to provide very good protection against the disseminated forms of TB in children.
Rotavirus vaccine
It is an oral vaccine against rotavirus infection, a common cause of diarrhoea and sickness, is given as two doses for babies aged two months and three months alongside their other routine childhood vaccinations.
The vaccine, called Rotarix, is given as a liquid from a dropper straight into the baby’s mouth for them to swallow.
Rotavirus is a highly infectious stomach bug that typically strikes babies and young children, causing an unpleasant bout of diarrhoea, sometimes with vomiting, tummy ache and fever. Some children who are not given this vaccine may die from rotavirus infection if it is severe.
Hepatitis B vaccine
Hepatitis B is one of the most infectious killer disease in the world. It is however, a vaccine preventable disease. Family health physician, Dr. Femi Omolola, notes that the HPV vaccine has been proven to be 99 per cent effective in preventing the viral infection when given to babies at birth.
Other vaccines on the national routine immunisation programme in Nigeria include eight DPT (Dipheteria-pertusis-tetanus), Hib (Haemophilius Influenza type B, oral polio, measles, yellow fever, and the meningiccocal vaccines.
