Akwa Ibom is set to reduce the burden of zero-dose children under the age of five. To achieve this, it has commenced the third round of the routine immunisation intensification exercise in all the 20 local government areas of the state.
Despite reports of progress made in previous campaigns, there are still children who have not been immunised in many parts of the state.
At a meeting to commence the exercise, attended by stakeholders including health workers, partners, civil society groups, royal fathers, proprietors of schools, and religious leaders, held in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, the importance of the immunisation exercise in preventing childhood killer diseases was once again emphasised.
The exercise, intended to protect children aged 0-59 months from deadly diseases, ensures that all children, and within the stated age, are fully immunised against vaccine-preventable diseases, thereby saving lives.
The Executive Secretary of the Akwa Ibom State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (AKSPHCDA), Dr. Eno Attah, implored stakeholders, at the meeting in Uyo, to ensure the success of the exercise, which will last one week.
According to her, the target is children in grassroots communities, including riverine and hard-to-reach areas, to ensure every child in the state is covered by the immunisation campaign.
Represented by Mrs. Margaret Etim, the State Health Promotion Officer, Dr. Attah attested to the safety of the vaccines, adding that “all vaccines are tested by government authorities for safety and effectiveness.”
She also assured that those children who have fallen behind their immunisation schedule could catch up without having to start all over. She said , “if a child has missed previous vaccines or never vaccinated, they can receive them during this campaign.”
According to the health official, the government took this step because of the premium it places on the health of people in the state, particularly women and children.
She said, “A child who is not fully immunised is more likely to suffer illness, become permanently disabled or even for, often a child who is not vaccinated puts other children around him/her at risk”.
Attah urged parents to be involved in the exercise to ensure its success.
In his remarks, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Big Catch-Up Consultant, Mr. Godspower Amos, said the exercise aims to reach all the children in the state who have never been vaccinated. He added that there are plans to cover all parts of the 20 local government areas in the state.
He noted that Akwa Ibom is among the states with the highest burden of zero-dose children in the country and called for collective effort to address the issue.
The exercise will be carried out at designated health centres, community centres, and outreach sites in Uyo, Ibesikpo Asutan, Eket, Ikot Abasi, Ibeno, Abak, Ikono, Ikot Ekpene, and Uruan Local Government Areas, among other council areas.
The exercise commences on April 9.
