As part of efforts to increase acceptance and uptake of immunization, the Ogun State Government has called on parents, caregivers, religious and community leaders to embrace vaccination to prevent childhood killer diseases.
Elijah Ogunsola, Physician and Executive Secretary, Ogun State Primary Health Care Development Board, made the call during a health talk to Mark the 2019 African Vaccination Week with the theme, “Protected Together: Vaccines Work”, held at Oke Ilewo Health Centre in Abeokuta, the State capital on Thursday.
Ogunsola said the essence of the week was to call on the attention of parents, caregivers, religious and community leaders on the need to work together and ensure that all children between ages of 0 and 5 are immunized, saying unvaccinated children were a potential danger to the health of others as they could still be infected with preventable diseases.
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He noted that according to National Health Information Survey, the state had a marked reduction in under-five deaths compared to other years, adding that the state had not recorded any vaccine-preventable diseases such as Yellow Fever, Measles, Tuberculosis, among others.
In his address, the Regional Director for Africa, World Health Organization (WHO), Matshidiso Moeti represented by the State Coordinator (WHO), Sunday Abidoye underscored the need for increased human and financial investment in immunization as a fundamental part of strengthening primary healthcare system, stressing that vaccines were one of the most effective public health interventions available.
He emphasised that there was the need to move from commitment to action by increasing domestic investment in immunization and strengthening access to vaccines in hard to reach areas and communities, charging all stakeholders to keep immunization on their agenda.
The duo of the State Coordinator, National Primary Health Care Agency and the State Immunization Officer, Olatunde Adebiyi and Suraj Olayinka respectively, noted that some diseases conditions were better prevented through immunization, advising parents and caregivers to give priority to the vaccination of their children and wards.
RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta
