BENUE STATE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE BOARD FLAGS OF MEASLES CAMPAIGN IN NENUE STATE
The Taskforce on Immunization is to commence operation and subsequent inauguration of the local Governments Taskforce to meet the demand of the Presidential Taskforce on Immunization of which Benue is signatory to.
Governor Hyacinth Alia stated his during the State flag off of the one week Integrated Measles Vaccination Campaign targeting one million children under five years held at RCM Primary School, Ihugh, Vandeikya LGA.
The Governor explained that cooling vans and other vehicles would be provided to the Ministry of Health to implement the PUSH SYSTEM of vaccination distribution across the state as recommended by W.H.O to ensure uninterrupted vaccine supply to health facilities for children and mothers.
Governor Alia said for effective implementation of this round of national measles campaign, counterpart funds were released for the purchase of medical kits to contain any adverse event following immunization as well as logistics given for effective supervision of hard to reach communities.
Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Yanmar Ortese stated that over two million children in the state are to be immunized noting that the state Government is enacting a law to make vaccination a prerequisite for enrollment in any school.
Executive Secretary, Benue State Primary Health Care Board, Mrs Grace Ashi-Wende listed the intervention going on simultaneously in the two hundred and seventy seven wards to include Tetanus Diphtheria for children and women of childbearing age, all approved vaccines in the country for vaccine preventable diseases, COVID nineteen for adults and birth registration for children below eighteen years.
Mrs Ashi-Wende said measles vaccine reduces mortality in children by over eighty percent which makes it a very crucial public health intervention.
The Executive Secretary intimated that routine immunization services with other vaccines would also be made available for all children from aged none to fifty nine months during the integrated measles vaccination.
Surveillance and Logistics Officer UNICEF, Mr Yusuf Mvumble noted that over one million doses of measles vaccines have been procured and supplied , as well as three hundred Giostyle to facilitate potency of vaccines during transportation while the W.H.O Field Officer Benue State, Dr Mohammad Abdulkarim represented by the Surveillance Officer Mrs Chigbo Ogechukwu said , Benue reported series of measles outbreak in sixteen local Governments with three hundred and seventeen suspected cases this year, out of which seventy three were confirmed and two deaths recorded.
State Cordinatior, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mr Shola Abdulrazaaz explained that measles poses a serious threat to children worldwide hence the need for parents to make their children available for this exercise
A mother Mrs Mwuese Iordye whose one year old child was vaccinated against measles expressed gratitude to the State Government for bringing the intervention close to her home.
