POLIO CAMPAIGN: OSPHCDA BEGINS ADVOCACY VISITS TO MDAs
In a bid to permanently prevent the menace of polio and other Childhood killers diseases, the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency has began advocy to line ministries and Agencies in the state.
The coordinated advocacy visit is to prepare the concerned Ministries and Agencies for the National Immunisation Plus Days( NIPDS) slated to commence on 3rd and end on the 7th of May 2025.
The State Ministry of Information and Orientation was one of the first points of call by the Agency. Where the Permanent Secretary of the Agency, Dr Francis Akanbiemu intimated the Ministry with the proposed polio and other antigens campaigns.
Dr Akanbiemu who who was represented by the Director disease control and Immunisation Dr Victor Adefesoye spoke on the relevance of information and orientation to ensure the success of the campaign in the nooks and crannies of the state.
According to him, there had been little resistance during the exercise, but to avoid further resistance and indifference, there is the need for a concerted advocacies and Ministry of Information and Orientation is germane in this regard.
He noted that although Nigeria had been certified polio free in August 2020, there had been other variants called vaccine derived polio virus that have been reported in some parts of the country after the certification.
He said the exercise will include polio drops for children age 0-59months, vitamin A supplements for children age 6-59 months, with blue supplements for age 6-11 months while red colour is for older children. Human papilloma vaccine (HPV) for girls age 9-14 years and other and other antegenes.
While responding to questions on waste management as panacea to out break of poliomyelitis he said efforts were being made to dispose waste appropriately but the agency is currently battling
with large quantities of waste generation.
In his speech, the State Coordinator of World Health Organisation (WHO) D r Dele Davies who was represented by Mr Amadi said the last outbreak of polio in Oyo state was caused by migrants
He therefore pleaded for corporation and supportsvof the ministry to ensure that all eligible child in the state is vaccinated.
In his response, the Administrative Secretary of Ministry of Information and Orientation Mr Lanre Akarakiri pledged the support of the ministry to ensure the success of the exercise.
He however requested that the ministry be adequately briefed on what it has to disseminate to the public noting that no information is better than misinformation.
Similarly at the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB) the Chairman, Hon. Victor Olabintan thanked the Agency for the visit and pledged to do a circular letter to all Education Secretaries across the 18 local governments for their corporation.
Olabintan further said head of primary schools would be directed to hold Parents Teachers Association meeting before the exercise to be able to brief the parents, Teachers and Care givers on the need to embrace the exercise.
In his own speech, the Permanent Secretary of the State Universal Basic Education, prince Adewale Omomowo said the officer in charge of advocacy would work with the Agency to accomplish the task ahead successfully.
Ayo Falana
(Mnipr)
OSPHCDA.
