Enugu Moves To Vaccinate 1m Children Against Polio Virus

The Enugu State Government says it is targeting 20 per cent of its entire population, representing 1,014,953 children under five years, for vaccination against wild polio virus.
The Executive Secretary of Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA), Dr George Ugwu, disclosed this in Enugu on Wednesday during a sensitisation meeting with key stakeholders and partners on the forthcoming statewide mass polio vaccination.
He maintained that the exercise would kick-off on Nov. 18 and end on Novemver 21, adding: “Enugu State does not have any case of wild polio but the exercise was to ensure no resurgence or suspected case”.
According to him, “what we intend to do is to emphasise on prevention and total elimination of polio in the state forever”.
The ENS-PHCDA boss said that the agency had trained and kitted 2,834 vaccinating teams, which comprises: 1,643 home-to-home teams, 780 special teams and 411 fixed teams.
His word: “The exercise will reach all nooks and crannies of the state, covering our 17 council areas, 291 wards and over 3,000 settlements. The vaccinators have been mandated to look for every child and ensure no child is left out.
“We are going to homes, schools, churches, malls, parks, markets, farms as well as all living areas, where a child can be found.
”We are appealing to parents, teachers, caregivers and family members to support this exercise and ensure no child known to them is left out of taking the oral polio vaccine,” he added.
Responding, the Chief Imam of Nsukka Central Mosque, Alhaji Yakubu Omeh, assured the state government of the readiness of the Muslim faithful commitment to ensure that all children under five found in all mosque and Islamic schools are vaccinated against polio.
”Education is key, and today you have enlightened us more on why polio must be totally eliminated.
”I am giving you my commitment and that of the Muslim faithful in the Nsukka axis that all children under five in all our religious facilities and schools will surely be vaccinated,” Omeh assured.
Vice-Chairman, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Enugu State, Lily Okechukwu, said that the association would fully mobilise all the private schools and inform parents on the exercise to ensure full compliance.

By: Canice Amadi, Enugu