Soludo Flags Off Novel Oral Polio Vaccination Campaign, Restates Collaboration With WHO, UNICEF, Others

In a bid to prevent the outbreak of polio in Anambra, the state Ministry of Health and partners have flagged off outbreak response campaigns for circulating variant Polio Type Two in the state.

Speaking at the event held at Umunnachi, Dunukofia Local Government Area, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, represented by the Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Pharmacist Chisom Uchem said the state government is collaborating with the World Health Organization, WHO, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, and other partners to initiate a comprehensive outbreak campaign, as well as vaccinate children by conducting door-to-door vaccination campaign to ensure that every child under the age of five receives necessary doses of Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type Two, which he said are safe and highly effective in preventing polio.

Governor Soludo called on partners and caregivers in the state to support this campaign by ensuring that their children are vaccinated.

In his speech, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike explained that because Anambra shares a border with Nkanu West in Enugu State; where there is outbreak of Polio, the state decided to be proactive by conducting outbreak response measures.

He noted that eligible children from zero to fifty-nine months will be administered polio Novel Oral Vaccine Type Two in the entire twenty-one council areas of Anambra State; irrespective of previous immunization status.

According to the Commissioner, the vaccine will be administered to children in schools, churches, mosques and other places where children are found, adding that the state does not want to leave any child out of the programme.

Also speaking, a WHO representative, Mr. Abdulnasiru Adamu congratulated the state for successfully flagging off the outbreak response campaign, describing it as a welcome development.

The state Health Educator, Mrs. Uju Onwuegbuzina commended the state government and other partners for driving the campaign for Zero Polio in Anambra, adding that the Soludo administration has given priority to the health sector, especially on issues affecting women and children.

In a vote of thanks, the President General of Umunnachi Development Union, Mr. Frank Okonkwo commended all the major stakeholders for participating in the campaign, stressing that no casualty has been recorded since the exercise started in his community.