Ekiti to vaccinate 320,000 children against measles –Official

The Ekiti Government is to vaccinate no fewer than 320,000 children ages nine months and 59 months under the integrated measles campaign from October 20 to 26.

The Deputy State Immunisation Officer, Primary Health Care Agency, Mrs. Omolabake Ogundola, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday.

Ogundola said the vaccination exercise was targeted at reducing the infant mortality rate due to measles infection.

She also said that adults from 18 and above would also be vaccinated against COVID-19 infection during the campaign.

Ogundola urged parents, guardians, and school owners to allow health workers in the state access to enable them to vaccinate eligible children.

The PHC boss said that the government was strategising on how every eligible child in the state would be vaccinated irrespective of their location.

She noted that the exercise would be carried out across the 16 local government areas in the State.

She also solicited the assistance of residents for the agency to record success in the exercise.

“The state government will be carrying out the Integrated Measles Campaign in October. What this means is that we will be combining measles vaccination with other routine vaccinations, such as COVID-19 and others,” she said.

On COVID-19 vaccination, she disclosed that the state government has paid its counterpart funding and met other requirements for the exercise to begin.

Ogundola said Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti has approved all logistics that would positively enhance the smooth activities of the agency, including the best preservation and use of vaccines.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr. Gilbert Seluwa, said the state was investing heavily in the health sector in spite of the paucity of funds in order to ensure that the people of the state get the best healthcare services.

Seluwa said the state heath sector had significant manpower and workforce for it to be successful in the exercise.

“Usually, it is for children between 0 and 12 months old, but some of our children miss the vaccines and it is extended by 24 months.

“Even at 24 months, if there is still any child who missed it, the baby will have a chance to take it.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is for adults and they are required to take their doses during this exercise,” he said.

The Executive Secretary said that the World Health Organisation was also supporting in terms of logistics and safety of health officials alongside security logistics provided by the agency.

Seluwa urged parents, guardians, and religious leaders to support the campaign and allow children to be vaccinated. 

(NAN)