Polio: Akeredolu solicits synergy for healthy future

Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Thursday called for collective support for immunisation to ensure a healthy, fruitful and productive future generation.

Akeredolu made the call while flagging on the First Round of National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs), at the State Specialist Hospital, Akure.

The first round of 2017 NIPDS will last till March 28.

He said it was not over until polio was completely kicked out of Nigeria as a whole, noting that polio in one state would put others in the country at risk of the debilitating disease.

The governor called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, heads of NGOs and stakeholders to contribute to the attainment of qualitative health.

Akeredolu promised that his administration would support all efforts aimed at providing healthcare.

He explained that the exercise was aimed at sustaining a zero status for wild polio virus for the state and ridding Nigeria of the deadly childhood crippling disease – poliomyelitis.

The governor recalled that polio eradication initiative started in 1996 and the state had been able to eliminate the virus from all nooks and crannies of the state.

According to him, children below five years will be given two drops of potent OPV using house-to-house strategy.

”And children under one year will be immunised against tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis, measles, yellow fever and tetanus at the fixed posts in all the designated health facilities.

”Equally, pregnant women would be immunised against tetanus”, the governor said.

Akeredolu added that the state government had put machinery in place to ensure that all eligible children and mothers were reached with all the interventions during the exercise.

“I have directed the management of all 18 local government councils in the state to support the implementation.

“Skilled human health resource at the state and local government areas have also been trained and mobilised for this programme”, he said.

Akeredolu thanked WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International and other donor agencies for their partnership in checkmating polio.

Mr Taye Oni, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, said the state had been polio-free since 2008.

“Since 2008, Ondo State has been polio-free but all hands must be on deck to consolidate on previous records”, he noted.

Oni said the ministry had skilled health workers who were to carry out the exercise and that all machinery were on ground.

He explained that the exercise which commenced on March 22 would end on March 28 while the second phase would commence on April 22 to 26.

The permanent secretary, therefore, called on all stakeholders in the state to support the exercise.

“Collectively we shall win the battle”, he said.

Dr Toyin Adeyalo-Ogundare, Ondo State Polio Representative for Rotary International, donated aprons for the exercise.