Femi Peters, Abeokuta
Commissioner for Health in Ogun State, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, says about 1.2 million children under the ages of five, particularly those at the border communities, are expected to be immunise during the ongoing Outbreak Response (OBR) campaign, as the areas were more susceptible to outbreak due to migration of people.
Ipaye stated this while monitoring the ongoing Outbreak Response (OBR) campaign against the circulating vaccination derived polio virus in the South West of Nigeria, at Imoba Community in Ifo Local Government Area of the State.
In his words, “Because of the sheer determination of the State and its partners, we have said every child must be reached, no matter what.
“We have decided to kick Polio out of our dear State and the response from the communities is also encouraging”, he said.
The Commissioner noted that government was more determined to kick the disease out of its communities, especially along the borders and hard to reach areas, adding that the programme was meant for every child, irrespective of their parents’ state of origin, status, religion or political leaning.
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Also speaking, the Head Technical Officer, World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Richard Banda, noted that the State was peculiar due to its many border areas, stressing that it was important stakeholders take inter-border immunisation seriously, as the present outbreak was caused by a virus that originated from the northern part of the country into the state through movement of people along the borderlines.
In her remark, Representative, United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Dr. Hayam Nam, said the aim of the OBR was to ensure that all under five children were duly immunised to develop full body immunity against the strain, to promote healthy living at all times.
In their separate responses, the Secretary, Imoba Community Development Association and a mother, Mr. Samuel Ogunyemi and Mrs. Amope Subair, both appreciated the government for its efforts at ensuring that children in the state were vaccinated and protected against killer diseases, promising to inform others who were yet to get their children and wards immunised.