AFRICAN VACCINATION WEEK: CHILD VACCINATION REACHES 95% COVERAGE IN CROSS RIVER STATE.
Director General of Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Betta Edu has urged parents, especially new mothers to adhere to vaccination schedules and practice good hygiene to protect their children from epidemic outbreaks.
The call was made at Hillcrest Special Needs School during the African Vaccination Week (AVW) that is marked annually from 23 to 29 April under the theme: "Vaccines work, Do your part!" The theme highlights the collective action needed to ensure that every person is protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
It urges greater action on immunization across the African Region, with a particular focus on spotlighting the role that everyone can play in this effort, from donors to individuals according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr Betta Edu said so far 95% of children in the State under five are vaccinated. "For Cross River State, the African vaccination week provides an opportunity to intensify awareness about the role of vaccination through radio ads, advocacies reminding people of the role of vaccination and also the need to meet vaccination routine until their children have received the full package," she said.
Edu added that the success in vaccination has contributed a lot in the reduction of infant mortality rate. And we must join forces to eradicate some vaccine preventable diseases like polio in Nigeria.
According to her the fact that they were not able to reach 100 per cent has nothing to do with religious or other ideological resistance but rather linked to some children who's parents did not bring out their children for immunization because the feel tge are wealthy or around war prone communities were health workers can't access.
"The State political will, the role of the community health workers and integration of technology in the health sector are the main factors that have contributed to the success of immunization campaigns, every child has right to vaccines whether they have special needs or not" she pointed out.
The Head Mistress of the School was very elated and thanked the PHC Coordinator of Calabar Municipality for bringing the Director General, Dr Betta Edu to personally immunize her school children. She lauded the State Government for ensuring school children are vaccinated against Polio and other dangerous diseases.
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