Ogun Measles Vaccination To Forestall Emergency – Ipaye
The Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye has hinted that the planned 2018 measles vaccination was aimed at averting emergency that may arise from the illness among children, urging parents, community leaders and other stakeholders to give maximum support to the programme.
Ipaye gave the assurance during a press conference held at his Oke-Mosan office ahead of the upcoming measles campaign scheduled to hold between Thursday 1 and Tuesday 13 March, 2018.
‘’Let me assure you that these are safe items proven to be efficacious, they don’t do harm to children, we have used repeatedly during our routine immunisation that have averted the prevalence of measles in the State and in Nigeria. It does not cause any injury or sterilization to our kids,’’ Ipaye said.
The Commissioner emphasised that the exercise was intended to bridge the gap and capture eligible children who had missed measles vaccination due to many parents inability to access the vaccine as a result of barriers created by distance.
He said the State had put in place strategic plans to allow for maximum coverage, especially in the remote and riverrine areas, by creating special mobile and temporary centres to ensure daily monitoring and reporting of the exercise.
Ipaye implored newsmen present to disseminate information on the measles campaign to the nooks and crannies of the State, adding that government in collaboration with partners in the health sector had made huge investment through provision of quality vaccines as well training of health workers to ensure a successful vaccination exercise.
The Commissioner also enjoined parents and guardians to avail their children and wards the opportunity to partake in the programme, calling on them to ensure safe-keeping of the immunization cards that would be issued after vaccination for record purpose.
The exercise will take place in two phases, with the first phase holding between Thursday march 1 to Tuesday March 6, while the second phase will hold from Thursday, March 8 through Tuesday March 13, 2018.
