By Sola Omoboyowa, Akure
As part of efforts to prevent the outbreak of measles in Ondo State, the State Government has began massive immunization of Children against measles.
To this end, the State Government has paid the sum of 16.7 million as the State’s counterpart funds for the 2018 Measles Vaccination Campaign.
Speaking at an Inter-Ministerial Press Briefing in Akure, the Ondo State Capital, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro explained that the vaccination was aimed at preventing children between Nine months old to five years old from measles, at no cost.
The Health Commissioner said the immunization would be flagged off on Thursday, 8, of March in Idanre by the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and it would be in two phases.
Dr. Adegbenro said the first phase would cover ten Local Government Areas of the state which are: Ese-Odo, Okitipupa, Odigbo, Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo, Ilaje, Irele, Ondo East, Ondo West, Idanre and Ifedore as from 8th to 13th March, 2018,while the second phase would be the turn of Ose, Owo, Akoko North East, Akoko North West, Akoko South East, Akoko South West, Akure North and South between 15th to 20th, March 2018.
He added that the exercise was targeting 700,000 children between the ages of nine months and five years across the state,stressing that house to house immunization would not be allowed but there would be designated centres for the programme which he said includes Churches, Mosques, Schools,Markets and Primary Healthcare facilities in each wards.
According to the Health Commissioner “We have 992 vaccination teams. Each of the team is made up of two vaccinators, two recorders, one town crier, one mobilizer and one crowd controller. If the not properly treated the disease could lead to blindness,deafness and could cause brain damage”, he said.
In a remark, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr.Yemi Olowolabi, urged parents to make their Children available for the Immunization exercise to save their lives,noting that prevention is better than cure.
The Information and Orientation Commissioner also called on Traditional Rulers and Religious Leaders to mobilize their Subjects and Followers for the success of the vaccination programme in the state.He added that the Akeredolu led administration in the state would continue to priotise the welfare of people of the state.
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