The Lagos State Government can achieve the set target of immunising 3.6 million children against measles if it is systematic and resilient about the exercise.
The Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Olumuyiwa Odusote, made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
Odusote spoke against the backdrop of the measles vaccination campaign set to begin on March 15 in some local government areas in the state.
The state government had in a statement said it targeted 3,609,538 children during the vaccination campaign.
The statement was signed by Dr Olufemi Onanuga, the Special Adviser to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode on Primary Health Care.
Odusote said: “The government needs to map out the whole local government areas, mobilise resources, ensure the vaccines are available and well preserved and go from one area to another.
“It should have an idea of manpower available and must be able to project how many houses can be covered in a day.
“Once this is done, they will be able to cover all the areas without missing out any particular area.
“This is easier, because the state already has well developed primary healthcare system in place, unlike many parts of the country.
“I believe the state can achieve the set target and even exceed it.
“It needs to be done systematically and repeatedly for the state to attain the level of immunity it needs to prevent diseases.“
The chairman said that the campaign was in response to the alarm the association had raised during its physician week in October 2017 over the mass reduction in immunisation coverage.
According to him, result of the reduction has led to the resurgence of some of the vaccine preventable diseases including measles.
“This is a response to that call, and I believe that it is going to go round the whole country.
“What the government has decided to do is to campaign in such a way that all vulnerable children between zero and five years old will be immunised.
“The good thing is that all these diseases are vaccine preventable; once given the vaccine, the children develop immunity that keeps them safe from coming down with illnesses,“ he said.
Odusote advised parents to take advantage of the campaign and take out their children for immunisation.
He said, “Every child that misses it will pose a risk to those who have been covered; everybody must be immunised.“
Also, Dr Charles Nwosisi, an Immunisation Specialist with the United Nations Children Fund, said the campaign was to ensure that the target was reached.
Nwosisi said: “The vaccines are on ground, routines are being mobilised in all LGAs that will be given the vaccination.
“A lot of social mobilisation activities have been taken place, including community dialogue and engaging different stakeholders.
“I think we are on the right path and I do not foresee any challenge in meeting the target.“
