Akwa Ibom set for another immunisation exercise, targets 1.09m children

Akwa Ibom State is set for another round of immunisation exercise aimed at vaccinating thousands of children from birth to five years  expected to place in all government health facilities.

Known as the Immunisation Plus Days, the exercise will take place from 19th March to 22nd March, and will provide antigens that would prevent the following childhood killer diseases, BCG that will prevent tuberculosis, Polio vaccine for the prevention of poliomyelitis and DPT for the prevention of diphtheria and tetanus.

Evelyn Eyo, head of health education in the state ministry of health in an interview said the immunisation would also prevent yellow fever, measles and hepatitis and advised parents to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by the exercise to have their children vaccinated.

She maintains that the exercise is free and is intended to prevent childhood killer diseases. More than 1.2 million children were vaccinated in the state during the last exercise.

Immunization is the process whereby a person is made immune or resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine. Vaccines stimulate the body’s own immune system to protect the person against subsequent infection or disease.

Immunization is a proven tool for controlling and eliminating life-threatening infectious diseases and is estimated to avert between 2 and 3 million deaths each year. It is one of the most cost-effective health investments, with proven strategies that make it accessible to even the most hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations. It has clearly defined target groups; it can be delivered effectively through outreach activities; and vaccination does not require any major lifestyle change.

Immunizations are definitely less risky and an easier way to become immune to a particular disease than risking a milder form of the disease itself. They are important for both adults and children in that they can protect us from the many diseases out there. Through the use of immunizations, some infections and diseases have almost completely been eradicated throughout the Africa and the World. One example is polio. Thanks to dedicated health care professionals and the parents of children who vaccinated on schedule, polio has been eliminated in the U.S. since 1979. Polio is still found in other parts of the world so certain people could still be at risk of getting it. This includes those people who have never had the vaccine, those who didn’t receive all doses of the vaccine, or those traveling to areas of the world where polio is still prevalent.

Active immunization/vaccination has been named one of the “Ten Great Public Health Achievements in the 20th Century”.