Nurses Want Adequate Vaccines In Health Centres

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), has urged the Federal Government to equip health facilities with adequate vaccines to help increase the rate of immunisation against vaccine-preventable diseases.
The association also advocated for compulsory immunisation of all health workers.
The  Chairman, NANNM, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Chapter, Mrs Oluyemisi Adelaja, made call in an interview with the newsmen  in Lagos, Monday.
Speaking against the backdrop of the  just concluded 2017 World Immunisation Week  a global public health campaign aimed at raising awareness on the importance of immunisation against vaccine-preventable diseases and its role in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Adelaja  noted that  “Some of the vaccines used in the country were  expensive because they are imported.
“Government should resuscitate our research centers and fund them adequately; this way, they can do more research by using plants that are available in the country to invent vaccines.
“Such invented vaccines can be available, affordable and effective in combating these diseases.
“The funds allocated for vaccines by governments are not enough and the funds donated by NGOs are mismanaged by the people in charge; either by diverting the fund or procuring the ones that are almost expiring.
“Also, government at all levels should provide adequate protective medical consumables and gadgets to both federal and state hospitals, as well as primary health centres’’.
She said there was need to sensitise health officers on vaccines and immunisation, as well as get them to be immunised.
“Health workers should be adequately sensitised and be given necessary vaccination as at when due to protect them, their families and all citizens.
“They are on the field and are at risk of contracting diseases.
“Most of the health officers engaged for immunisation do not have adequate knowledge about the cold chain system and the importance of vaccines.
“They also lack the knowledge of maintenance of proper cold chain, thereby reducing the potency of the vaccines; this is majorly because quacks or incompetent staff are recruited to administer the vaccines.’’
Adelaja also condemned some unwholesome practices by some health officers.
She said “There are also sharp practices that need to be stopped; some health officers collect vaccines from health centres and sell to private hospitals.
“Some even hide somewhere to fill the forms with holding fake names and information which they present as the report or statistics.
“These have to be identified and addressed,’’ she said.
Also speaking,  Chairman of NANNM, Lagos State Chapter, Mr Olurotimi Awojide, said that the major challenges facing immunisation in Nigeria were misconceptions in some parts of the country.
According to him, most people were not well educated on the importance and need to be immunised.
While noting with dismay the practice of parents with their children and not presenting them for immunisation, Awojide said such ws negating the aim of  the immunisation which is  to ensure a global infection-free society, especially in children. said such was negating  such was “the aim of the immunisation which is  to ensure a global infection-free society, especially in children.
“Immunisation is a process of ensuring that children become resistant to infection agents which is usually achieved through the use of vaccines.
“Governments, especially our donors are trying their best to ensure that children are immunised against all childhood killer diseases.
“We still need more funds for the vaccines, competent staff and more awareness on the benefits of immunisation , especially in children.’’
Awojide appealed to health workers in charge of vaccination to always be guided by the ethics of the profession to achieve an infection-free society.
“I am appealing for this, based on unconfirmed anti-professional activities of some health workers.