The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA)Dr. Faisal Shuaib, has advised mothers and caregivers to avail their children the opportunity to be immunized against Rotavirus and other diseases.
Shuaib who stated this, Tuesday,at the flag off ceremony of the statewide launch of Rotavirus immunization in Aba, explained that Rotavirus is highly a contagious virus which causes severe diarrheal diseases in children under five years all over the world.
Shuaib, represented by Mrs Lami Nebechukwu, noted that the routine immunization exercise, which is being organised by Abia Primary Health Care Development Agency (ABPHCDA), in conjunction with United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO) and National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), is aimed at preventing the death of children as a result of either Rotavirus infection of other preventable diseases.
He commended the Abia State Government for being supportive of health-related issues and expressed joy that the Rotavirus vaccination has been added to routine immunization schedule given to Nigerian children.
“I urge Abia to pay attention to their routine immunization schedule. We want to catch up with other countries of the world and we want to achieve the vaccination of many of our children by August 2023.
“Let government encourage women and children to come out and access this vaccine”.
In his address,the Abia State Commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Osuji, said the vaccination remained the best method for tackling Rotavirus infections, hence the need for everyone to promote the Rotavirus vaccination campaign.
Osuji, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Franca Ekwueme, said that a routine immunisation intensification program would run from November 22- 29 in the 17 Local Government Areas to boost immunisation coverage.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary, Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency(ASPHDA),Dr Chinagozi Adindu, said that the vaccine would be administered to children at 6, 10 and 14 weeks alongside other routine immunization vaccines.
Adindu said that the vaccine would help in the fight to reduce morbidity and mortality in children under five years old
adding that the state has 919 immunization sites with about 187 thousand doses of the vaccine and charged all parents to take advantage and make their children available for vaccination.
“I thank our development partners that made it possible for us to get the vaccines and I appeal for their continuous support as we fight the Rotavirus infection menace,” he added.
Also, the State Coordinator of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Nasiru Bala, said: “The introduction of the Rotavirus Vaccine is timely because of the prevalence of diarrheal disease among children under five years old.
“I urge everyone to be health ambassadors and spread the message about the need for our children to get the Rotavirus vaccination”.
Earlier, the Chairman, Aba North LGA,Mr David Ikonne, commended the state government for the introduction of Rotavirus vaccination programme in the state and urged stakeholders in the health sector to ensure that the program would be successful in Abia to enable government achieve its objective of building a healthier population.
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Governor Sir Ude Oko Chukwu,represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development,Barr Charles Esonu.
