The Ogun State Primary Health Care Development Board (OGPHCDB) has commenced the August 2019 Supplemental Immunization Activities (SIAs) with the administration of Fractional Inactivated Polio Vaccine (FIPV) along-side Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to all eligible children in Imeko-Afon, Ipokia and Yewa North Local Government Areas of the state.
Ayinde Adesanya ,the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, who made this known during a mini flag-off exercise held at Primary Health Centre, Imeko, said the introduction of fIPV programme which kicked off from Thursday, August 1 through Tuesday, August 6, 2019, in the three Local Government Areas was a follow up to the Outbreak Response (OBR) 1 and II earlier carried out in the state.
He said the immunisation campaign in these areas would be different from those conducted in the other 17 local government areas as mothers and caregivers would be required to bring their children and wards to government health facilities for the administration of the vaccine.
Adesanya explained that the FIPV would be administered on children aged 14 weeks-59 months while the OPV drops would be for children aged 0-59 months, pointing out that the vaccines were beneficial, safe and potent to boost the immunity of children against the crippling virus.
Also speaking, Elijah Ogunsola the executive secretary of the board, advised mothers, caregivers as well as Community and religious leaders to cooperate with the State government towards eradicating polio and to justify the huge investment made in collaboration with development partners in the health sector, as the vaccine would also be made available for children in the border areas.
Sunday Abidoye, the state Coordinator, World Health Organization (WHO), while commending the state Government’s efforts at ensuring that the exercise was carried out according to the stipulated timeline, emphasised the need for public enlightenment to reinforce the usual house to house visitation by health workers due to the FIPV special vaccine to be administered.
In their separate remarks, the Acting Head of Local Government Administration (HOLGA), Imeko Afon Local Government, Oluwole Oladipupo and a community leader, Chief Fola Olaleye, while commending the State government for placing special attention on children in the border communities, admonished parents and caregivers to take advantage of the exercise.
Moriamo Wahab and Kemi Adeoti on behalf of mothers and caregivers thanked the State Government for making the health of children in the state a priority, promising to inform others to make their children and wards available for routine immunisation at all time.
Yemisi Fashola, Abeokuta
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