19th March, 2018
Mr David Onyewuchi, an official of Imo State Ministry of Health, has described immunisation as the easiest, safest and cheapest way to prevent childhood diseases and infections.
Onyewuchi, an Immunisation Officer in the ministry, made the observation at a Media Sensitisation Meeting on “2018 Measles Vaccination Campaign” organised by the ministry in collaboration with donor agencies/partners in owerri on Monday.
He described measles as a very dangerous disease which could kill or disfigure its victim, saying that children of nine months to five years were always the target.
The health officer said that the ministry decided to partner the media as veritable instrument of creating awareness to members of the public as well as dispelIng past military vaccination rumour that prevented women from presenting their children for immunisation.
“Measles is a viral infection that spread rapidly in the environment. Virus infections do not respond easily to treatment, the best option is to prevent it.
“Children between nine months and five years are the ones mostly susceptible to the infection, hence the need to ensure they are vaccinated,” he said.
Mr Linus Iwuchukwu, the Communication Development Consultant in UNICEF, said that it is the foundamental right of children to be vaccinated and protected again the deadly measles.
He said that every child was important to the development of the nation and that all hands must be on deck to ensure that every eligible child was immunised against measles.
“We don’t want our children to die of measles; we want them to live. They don’t have enough immunity to fight the disease and so are vulnerable. The vacination is ongoing at the heath centres and designated points,” he said.
Iwuchukwu said that the role of the media in the success of the campaign could not be over emphasised as more people through information would be made to access the vaccination.
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The first phase of the immunisation exercise, which was between March 8 and March 13, had been completed in Orlu and Okigwe zones in the state with a mop up exercise carried out on March 15 and March 16.
The second phase of the immunisation exercise continued in Owerri zone on March 15 to end March 20.
The UNICEF health officer called on women and care givers to avail themselves of the opportunity to ensure that children of the stipulated ages were all immunised.
Mr Smart Mbagwu, the State Health Educator, said that measles had ripple effects as an infected child would stop school, affect his academics, and could transfer it to the sibblings or parents which would become more cost effective.
He said there was the need for all stakeholders, including the media to be health friendly by creating more awareness and informing care givers and parents on the need for every child to be immunised to eliminate measles like small pox.
Mr Innocent Igwe, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Imo Council, thanked the organisers of the programme for their efforts in ensuring that measles were eradicated in the state.
He promised, on behalf of journalists in the state, to ensure that the message would be adequately disseminated to members of the public for effectiveness.