By Ayodele Charles
The Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency, (ESPHCDA), is set to begin the April 2025 Polio Outbreak Response (OBR) campaign amongst children aged 0- 59 months, (5 years) across the State.
In her keynote address at the stakeholders meeting held at Nurses hall, along old Iyin road in Ado Ekiti, the project coordinator, Dr (Mrs) Olajumoke Oguntoye said the programme which is in collaboration with UNICEF and other development health partners will span a period of 4 days and will commence from 3rd to May 7th this year.
She further stated that the vaccine is safe, free and effective adding that the campaign is crucial to maintaining a Polio- free status in the state.
Dr Oguntoye also explained that the agency had previously conducted the exercise in the past in which the World Health Organization (WHO) has certified the state polio free, but the need to maintain the Polio free status and also prevent future reoccurrence of the disease in the State prompted the agency the need to conduct this year exercise to combat other related virus that might spring up and ensure absolute eradication of Polio in the State.
The coordinator urged all stakeholders and other relevant bodies and organizations at the meeting to help inform and educate parents and guardians on the importance of the vaccine and the positive effect of a Polio – free State. She explained further that the exercise will extend to all respective homes, mosques, churches and both public and private schools.
The representative of UNICEF in Ekiti State, Mrs Yetunde Akinyosoye who was also at the event expressed her delight for the usual prompt response of the stakeholders anytime they are called upon which she attributed to their special love for the children and the State.
She further said that it was because of the cooperation of the stakeholders, community and religious leaders in the State that enabled the Agency to achieve the laudable feat they attained in the past, noting that without their cooperation the Agency cannot go far.
Akinyosoye admonished all the participants to render their full support for the coming Polio Outbreak Response (OBR) Campaign exercise in the State by collaborating with the officers of the Agency in all the Local Government Areas to ensure maximum turnout of the children.
Adding that the coming exercise is not in injection form like the previous ones but Oral Polio Vaccination which will be administered into their mouths. Stressing that Nigeria as a whole has been certified Polio free since 2020, but their are some Vaccine Derive Polio Virus which needed to be eradicated and that is what ESPHCDA and UNICEF are targeting in the country just like the wide Polio virus.
Mr Oyewo Muftau, representing Solina, a non-governmental organisation, in his remark pointed out that people might be wondering why the Agency usually called on stakeholders when it comes to treatment of Polio virus and other diseases in the State, according to him, “it is because the issue of Polio is either “all or none.”
“It is either every child get saved or no child is saved. If it remains only one child that is not treated for Polio virus then, every other child in the community or State is not save. If some children are not immunised, it will pose a major risk to others who have been immunized against the virus thereby rendering the efforts of the Agency redundant and at the same time making our society unsafe.’ He said.
He emphasized that though Polio Vaccination is all or none but further said that the fact remains, “we cannot afford it to be none because of the dangers inherent. Oyewo appealed to all stakeholders to join hands with ESPHCDA in order to achieve maximum turnout during the coming exercise which will start on the 3rd of May.
In her contribution, the Assistant State Immunisation Officer, Mrs Olorode Felicia said the virus has just been discovered in Oyo State and some parts of the Northern States, which is one of the reasons the Federal Government finds it necessary to quickly combat the deadly virus before it goes viral in the country.
She also implored everyone to help in sensitizing the people about the importance and efficacy of the vaccine for the children.
To ensure proper awareness in all the communities in the State, the officials of the Agency, the Social Mobilization Committee (SMC), have been on sensitization tour and awareness campaign in some of the Local Government areas in the State. Some of the Local Government Areas visited include, Efon, Ikole, Moba and Omuo Local Governments. Also, the Agency embarked on distribution of notification letters to all that matters both in the State and Local Government Areas.
Present at the stakeholders meeting are; Officials of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Information, SUBEB, the State PTA chairman, iya Loja of Ekiti State, the Iyalajes of some towns, Religious Leaders Media Practitioners and other relevant stakeholders.
