NIPDs: Health Workers Charged To Be Diligent

As the Rivers State Government concludes arrangements to carry out the secondround of the 2012 National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs), a charge has gone to Local Government Social Mobilization Officers (LGSMOs) and other health workers to diligently discharge their duties during the exercise.

The State Director, Public Health Services, Ministry of Health, Akuro Okujagu, gave this charge at a one day training for LGSMOs in preparation for the forthcoming NIPDs across the nation.

Dr. Okujagu, who frowned at the poor performance of the state in the last exercise which took place in February this year, warned that laziness and lack of interest in the exercise will not be tolerated this time.

He stated that working in health is a passion and a calling, stressing that when one is called to do a thing, he must do it with all his mind.

He hinted that he was aware of the challenges in the field, but stated that with diligence and determination to succeed, “the job would be done.”

He used the opportunity to call on religious leaders, school heads and parents and caregivers to avail children between 0-five years old the opportunity the exercise provides to be immunized with two drops of oral polio vaccine irrespective of the previous doses already received by the child.

He said failure to accept the immunisation amounted to exposing the child to sickness, disease and death.

He assured that all campaign and routine immunization vaccines are safe, potent and effective as well as free.

On her part, the state social mobilization officer Do and Health Educator, Doris Nria, urged the health workers to endeavour to reach every nook and cranny of the state, particularly the areas designated “hard to reach.”

She encouraged them to form community Health committees and work hand in hand with them so as to achieve set goals.