Ebonyi Targets 600,000 Children For Polio Immunisation

More than 600,000 children under five years are to be vaccinated against polio and other child killer diseases in the 13 local governments of Ebonyi State.

The commissioner for Health, Sunday Nwangele, announced this during the flag-off of the programme at Onueke in Ezza-South Local Government.

He said about 128,259 expectant mothers would benefit from the programme.

A breakdown, according to the commissioner, showed that 102,607 kids are under one, 513,036 are under five while 128,259 are expectant mothers.

Nwangele said the objective of the immunization was to eradicate polio myelites and reduce infant mortality. He said vaccines would be given to children at fixed or temporal posts, health facilities, churches, schools, villages and market square to ensure that no child is left behind.

“Expectant mothers would also receive tetanus toxoids.” In another development, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ebonyi State has fixed March 3 for the re-run election in Ezza South State constituency.

This followed the nullification of the election of Chris Usulor by the Appeal Court, sitting in Enugu, on January 7.

The Commission has also fixed March 10 for the re-run in Ohaukwu South and Ishielu North State constituency which were nullified by the Appeal Court.

The three former lawmakers are Ohaukwu South State Constituency, Mrs.Mabel Ateke, Ikechukwu Ogbu, Ishielu North State Constituency and Ezza South State Constituency, Chris Usulor all members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

INEC’s spokesman Johnson Nduo however said only those who registered in the last voter registration exercise would participate in the rescheduled election.

He said the commission had begun the training of electoral officers who would participate in the election.

The six parties that participated in the April election have been notified of the dates for the rescheduled election.”