By Newslineglobal.com
Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi
has called on community leaders ,political, and religious leaders to mobilise and sensitise their subjects on importance of integrated immunisation , which is aimed at reducing disease burden in the state and beyond.
He made the call on Wednesday, at the launch of Integrated Non-Polio Supplemental Immunisation Activities; Measles, Yellow Fever and COVID-19 Vaccination (Scale 3.0) and Birth Registration Campaigns in Enugu.
Represented by his Deputy, Hon( Mrs) Cecilia Ezeilo, Governor Ugwuanyi said there is need for a collective effort to ensure mass participation in the COVID-19 and yellow fever inoculation.
He said that the state government is committed to ensuring the well-being of all, adding that the government would stop at nothing to ensure continuous immunisation for all — old, young and children.
According to him, the measles, yellow fever and COVID-19 vaccinations (Scale 3.0) are integrated and will go simultaneously to ensure easy access.
“We must scale up in our COVID-19 vaccination notwithstanding that the state has been ranked first among states in the country on Primary Health Care (PHC) service delivery, only second to FCT according to ONE Campaign award recently.
“So, we want leaders to join in this integrated immunisation campaign and ensure no one is left out.
“For our mothers, they should ensure that no child within their neighbourhood is left out in the measles and other childhood immunisations to keep them healthy and sound,” Ugwuanyi said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency as, Dr George Ugwu said that Enugu state had prepared adequately for the integrated immunisation by massive mobilisation of leaders at the grassroots.
Ugwu said that the agency had trained over 7,392 health workers, both at the council and ward levels for the integrated campaign.
“We are targetting 1,103,055 persons with the Yellow Fever vaccine in this campaign and also targeting 607,041 citizens of Enugu State with measles vaccine.
“For the COVID-19 (scale up 3.0) vaccination, we are targetting 2,530,026, out of which, we have vaccinated 717,596 persons already
and counting.”
The executive secretary said that the state came second in the entire country with 91 per cent coverage rate in routine immunisation,
only behind Ebonyi in the 2021 Multi-Clustert Indicator Survey (MICS) Released in September 2022.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, said the state government had scaled-up the drive and zeal to deliver quality
healthcare to residents of the state.
“I am assuring residents that effective healthcare team domiciled in the state will continue to work to ensure optimal health of the people, “Obi said.
In a goodwill message, the UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Enugu, Juliet Chiluwe, said UNICEF is committed to supporting immunisation initiatives and logistics in the state.
Chiluwe added that UNICEF had supported the ENS-PHCDA with 391 solar-dry refrigerators to store vaccines and sensitive antigens in local government areas.
“UNICEF is also championing the birth registration meant to promote efficiency data collection and planning for the state.
“We also want mothers and parents to ensure full immunisation of their children since it is the most cost-effective way to ensure the health of all and reduce infant and childhood mortality,” Chiluwe said.