Over 1,800,000 children between the ages of 0-59 months in Delta State are set to be vaccinated against the deadly type-2 poliomyelitis in the second round of the Outbreak Response, the Permanent Secretary, Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Jude Winful-Orieke has disclosed.
Dr Winful-Orieke who spoke during the state stakeholders’ Mobilization Committee meeting said that the exercise which started on Saturday, May 14 will end on Tuesday, May 17.
The state participated alongside other states in the federation in the first round which was held from the 9th to 12th of April 2022.
He explained said the Outbreak Response aims to interrupt the circulation of poliovirus by immunizing every child under 5 years in the state with oral polio vaccine regardless of previous immunization status.
He said: “Everyone seated here is strategic to the success of the campaign; Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders, Market Men and women, Youths and Women leaders, line ministries, school owners, media and security personnel have a stake in the health indexes of the state.
“The burden of the disease affects everyone, let’s ensure no child is missed. Polio is a highly infectious and an untreatable disease that can result in permanent paralysis.”
The Director, Social Mobilization Advocacy and Immunization, Dr Ngozi Orofuke reiterated the government’s commitment to eradicating vaccine-preventable diseases and called on mothers to ensure their children are vaccinated as it is the responsibility of the parents to protect their children.
Dr Orofuke emphasized the safety and potency of the vaccine, adding that trained health workers visibly identified will be deployed in all the 25 Local Government Areas of the state to immunize children under five with the vaccine.
