The Cross River State Government has called on religious leaders, traditional rulers, parents, schools amongst others to support public enlightenment campaigns meant to eradicate Polio Virus Type Two amongst children and reduce childhood diseases.
Addressing mothers, others during the flag-off of the Second Outbreak Response (OBR2) to Circulating Variant Polio Virus held at Aku Nursery and Primary School, Big Qua Town, Calabar Municipal LGA, the wife of the Cross River State Governor, Dr. Mrs. Linda Ayade, hinted that immunization was crucial to the survival of children against vaccine-preventable diseases.
Mrs. Ayade represented by the Director-General, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Janet Ekpenyong, said that children aged between 0 and 5 years would be administered two drops of the novel polio vaccine Type Two alongside other antigens that are due.
She noted that the government of Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade would continue to allocate more resources to ensure a seamless campaign and urged parents and caregivers to ensure that their eligible children are immunized against polio.
She explained that one of the reasons for the outbreak response was the reemergence of type2 polio in other parts of the country.
According to Dr. Ekpenyong, She stated that, Polio is a highly infectious disease that affects the nervous system of the body and that is why we do not take this disease for granted, as once contacted, there’s no cure.
She added also, that in addition to the campaign, we also have other baskets of services available even for adults. We are using this opportunity to give the Covid19 vaccine to parents and caregivers.
The Director, Public Health, Cross River State Ministry of Health, Dr. Iwara Iwara, lauded the state government for the political will to support immunization in the state, adding that mothers and caregivers should not joke about this opportunity as the issue of vaccination is now a necessity.
Earlier, the Proprietress of Aku Nursery and Primary School, Chief. Mrs. Nkoyo Uboh thanked the state government for bringing the campaign to her school and also urged parents residing in the state to make their children available for vaccination to avoid being paralyzed.
Source: vanguardngr.com
Edited by: Ngozi Anna Akunne.
