RSG Committed To Polio Eradication – Dep Gov

Sequel to the flag-off of the March 2017 round of National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDS) Exercise in Rivers State, the Deputy Governor , Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, has assured on the commitment of the state  government to end polio in Rivers State.
The Deputy Governor who made the pronouncement on Monday at the Model Health Centre, Churchill, during the flag-off of the NIDPs, stated  that it is for this reason the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, among other things acknowledged the convergence of the Health Care Centre across the Local Government Areas under the Rivers Primary Health Care Management Board.
“I want to assure our partners, the people of Rivers State, and Nigeria that Rivers State is going to take back  its number one position in Universal Child Immunisation.
“His Excellency, Governor Wike, gave approval for the otherwise defunct state taskforce on Immunization to be resuscitated. That is why we are here today to observe the NIDPs first round.
“This is all because of the unprecedented commitment of a governor who cares for his people… This immunization must reach every child.
“We must revive all the schools, we are going to involve all the religious houses, private schools must also be included, and every child must be  reached and immunised,” she said.
In an interview with newsmen at the occasion, the Permanent Secretary, RSPHCMB, Dr  Agiriye Harry had revealed that a lot of awareness creation efforts had been made towards ensuring a greater reach of the populace  for the immunization exercise.
“For the past three weeks, there have been constant Jingle on Radio, but the work is not just ours to do, everybody needs to be involved in it”, he said.
Dr Harry further stated that in order to ensure wide coverage of the immunization exercise, emphasis was laid on reaching the identified eleven hard to reach areas of the state.
He however noted that the key  challenge experienced by the Board in carrying out its duties effectively had  been how to  discipline staff and prioritization of posting and Local Government Health Workers.
“Now that the government has made RSPHCMB to oversee the performance of healthcare workers, it will be easier to check their execesses”, he said.
On her part, the representative of World Health Organisation (WHO), Pharm Chineniye Okafor noted that while the world is close to eradicating polio, Nigeria is among countries currently lagging behind.

Sogbeba Dokubo