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World Immunisation Week

LG Chairman urges Anambra residents to protect children from Polio

by Content Admin May 1, 2025

written by Content Admin

Flag-off of National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) in Orumba South LGA, Anambra

AWKA- The Chairman, Orumba South Local Government in Anambra State, Mr Shedrack Azubuike, has appealed to residents in the area to present their children and wards for immunisation against Polio virus.

Azubuike made the call at the flag-off of the National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) in Orumba South LGA, on Thursday.

He appealed to residents to actively participate in the upcoming Polio vaccination campaign scheduled to start in the state on Saturday, May 3.

“According to health experts, immunisation is a vital step in boosting the health and immunity of our children in the communities.

“I appeal to parents, especially mothers, to allow their children to be vaccinated during this period and protect them from Polio virus.

“We need to come together as a community and embrace this opportunity.

“Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s administration is doing everything possible to protect our children, and it is our responsibility as parents and caregivers to support this cause,” he said.

Also speaking, Mrs Chisom Uchem, Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, said the vaccination was for children between zero to 59 months.

Uchem said the vaccines were free, safe and effective and would immune children against poliomyelitis, a deadly childhood disease that could cripple a child or even kill the victim.

In his remarks, Igwe Bernard Emejuo of Eziagu community, commended Gov. Charles Soludo for his proactive health initiatives and measures to prevent deadly diseases in children.

The Traditional Ruler promised to support and ensure a successful immunisation exercise.(NAN)

May 1, 2025 0 comments

Health

KDSG, UNICEF ramp up measures as measles kills 2 children

by Content Admin May 1, 2025

written by Content Admin

KADUNA- The Kaduna State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have intensified efforts to contain an outbreak of measles that has already claimed the lives of two children in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the measles outbreak that hit the Unguwan Kanawa community, Zaria Local Government, has affected no fewer than 20 children.

NAN also reports that the outbreak is attributed to the years of parental refusal to immunise their children, largely due to misconceptions about vaccination.

Two children from a family of nine died, and at least 20 others are infected.

However, another report suggests six children died in the outbreak.

The outbreak is linked to vaccine hesitancy among parents, with many refusing to immunise their children due to misconceptions.

In a swift response, the state government and UNICEF are working together to strengthen disease surveillance and had launched emergency re-vaccination campaigns in Zaria.

The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board has mobilised outreach teams to identify, track, and immunise affected the affected households.

Health officials are working to sensitise the community about the importance of vaccination.

The Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, Hamza Ibrahim, confirmed that surveillance teams were on the ground, and vaccination teams would visit households to immunise eligible children.

According to Ibrahim, the agency has deployed different mechanisms to curtail measles outbreak in the state.

He told NAN that the state has lunched a immunisation rapid response team in the affected area of the state.

He said that officials of the agency, together with those of the State Ministry of Health and other development partners have been in tha affected community to assess the situation in the particular settlement.

Ibrahim said that the community had experienced non compliance for the past 10 ten years.

He said,” Every April, we celebrate the World African Immunisation Week, which is set aside to sensitise residents on importance of immunisation.

“Unfortunately,we have an outbreak of measles in Unguwan Kanawa in Zaria.

“We have to take history and know the main cause of the non compliance.”

The director stated that there were 255 upgraded Primary Health Centres in the state, adding “the community, unfortunately has a PHC, which is 7km away from them.

“We have initiated outreach services for them so that those who cannot go to the facility will be treated and taken care of before making referral to the facilities for treatment.

Ibrahim also said that they have understood that the community has some issues with the facility.

He.said, “This is what caused the problem and we are working on it to ensure that it is.amicably resolved.

“We understood that they are even rejecting the polio vaccine and we are doing a follow up to ensure each child receives vaccinations within one year and finish the routine immunisation.”

Ibrahim said that a lot has been put in place not only in the affected community but across the state, attributing the non compliance to ignorance and neglect.

Ibrahim explained, “Most of them believe that immunisation is not important because they have resorted to herbs for treatment and cure.

” The women want their children to be vaccinated but they wait to get permission from their spouses before accepting the vaccines.”

He said that they would embark on dialogue with all the community members to inform them about the importance of immunisation and the implications of not receiving.

Ibrahim said that the community members would also participate fully in all the activities of the immunisation.

Meanwhile, the UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Kaduna, Dr Gerida Birukila, stated that the community had 100 per cent refusal for vaccination three years ago.

“As you have observed for yourself, there is now a serious measles outbreak. Several children have never been immunised, and as a result, they are suffering from measles.

“In one family of nine, they have already lost two children and others are still sick. So, it is very important for the community to immunise their children,”she said.

Birukila lamented that under the backdrop of vaccine shortages, they were trying to find vaccines for measles.

“There is a shortage in the country, and it is really important that we secure predictable vaccination supplies for the children.

” We are facing many challenges, mainly parental refusal due to lack of belief in immunisation,”she lamented.

She, however, said through interventions by community, religious leaders and the government, the community has started accepting immunisation.

Birukila said that the government was also supporting other services like healthcare to ensure that the community was well supported.

She appealed to; parents, community, religious, traditional leaders, the government, and partners to encourage the uptake of immunisation in order to save lives.

She hoped that predictable funding for vaccination and immunisation would continue.

In a related development’, Dr Hauwa Mahmud, Head of Health, Zaria Local Government Council, has described the outbreak as a ‘blessing in disguise’.

She said that Unguwar Kanawa, in Dutsen Abba Ward, has a long history of rejecting vaccination and orthodox medicine.

According to Mahmud, the community had 100 per cent non-compliance to vaccination for about 10 years.

“UNICEF and other key stakeholders were in the community to record a success story of woman from the community who agreed to accept vaccination.

“The event by the UNICEF at Unguwar Kanawa was part of the activities to commemorate the African Vaccination Week,” she said.

Mahmud, however,.said that on reaching the community, it was discovered that there was an outbreak of measles in the area.

The head of health said.that the children in the community were vaccinated and nine affected children were hospitalised.

She added of the nine hospitalized.

Mahmud said that seven of them were discharged while the two children developed measles complications and they would soon be doing released.

She said that following the outbreak and the prompt response by the Zaria Local Government Council, the community further agreed to accept vaccination against child-killer diseases.

NAN however learnt that there was no any reported case of the disease in the Kafanchan area, according to Dr Paul Yohanna, the Chief Medical Director, Patrick Yakowa General Hospital, Kafanchan. (NAN)

May 1, 2025 0 comments

Health

UNICEF donates 425 solar fridges for immunisation in Imo

by Content Admin April 30, 2025

written by Content Admin

OWERRI- The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has distributed 425 solar-powered refrigerators across Imo State since 2021 to strengthen immunisation efforts.

UNICEF’s Vaccine Security Logistics Officer in Imo, Mr Augustine Nwabuisi, disclosed this on Wednesday in Owerri while addressing journalists at the close of activities marking World Immunisation Week.

Nwabuisi explained that the refrigerators, which maintained temperatures between +2°C and +8°C, were essential for preserving the potency of vaccines.

He said the equipment, procured and distributed by UNICEF, had been deployed to primary healthcare centres in all 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

He further stated that UNICEF operated an Open Logistics Information System to enable real-time monitoring of vaccine stock levels across LGAs, helping to prevent both overstocking and understocking, as well as track expiry dates and temperature exposure.

In addition, he announced that UNICEF donated four high-capacity incinerators, capable of burning at up to 1,000 degrees Celsius, for the safe disposal of medical waste such as bottles and syringes.

He said the donation was in line with environmental and health safety standards, aimed at promoting proper waste management practices in healthcare facilities.

“We insist on ‘do no harm’ to the vaccine, environment, and health workers by ensuring proper vaccine service delivery and waste management,” Nwabuisi said.

He added that officers received regular monthly training and performance analysis with real-time feedback provided to local managers.

In spite of these efforts, he called on the Imo State government to provide counterpart funding, particularly for human resources to ensure optimal use of the incinerators.

Also speaking at the event, the State Immunisation Officer, Dr Chibuzo Anyaehie, commended UNICEF for its support, especially in funding logistics for the introduction of the HPV vaccine.

She also acknowledged UNICEF’s role in supporting rounds one to three of the “Big Catch-up” immunisation campaign, which had helped boost vaccine coverage across the state.

Anyaehie noted that UNICEF also offered technical support and helped develop annual operational plans for vaccine security and delivery in the state.

She, however, called for the replacement of retiring staff to address the shortage of manpower critical to vaccine distribution and logistics.(NAN)

April 30, 2025 0 comments

Health

Immunisation Week: Vaccines sustainable, save six lives per minute – UNICEF

by Content Admin April 26, 2025

written by Content Admin

OWERRI- The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has described vaccines used in immunisation efforts as “sustainable” adding that they have saved six lives every minute over the last five decades.

UNICEF’s Chief, Enugu Field Office, Mrs Juliet Chiluwe, said this at a virtual media dialogue with journalists in Owerri, on Saturday, to mark the year 2025 World Immunisation Week.

Speaking on this year’s theme: “Immunisation For All Is Humanly Possible”, Chiluwe described vaccines as “one of humanity’s greatest achievements”.

She called for increased advocacy, communication, social mobilisation and cold chain support to achieve routine immunisation that “would really reach everyone”.

Chiluwe also called for infrastructure strengthening such as the establishment of oxygen gas plants to strengthen health systems in states with the greater need.

“ This year’s theme reaffirms the feasibility and necessity of protecting everyone from newborns to the elderly, against vaccine-preventable diseases, through inclusive and equitable Immunisation services.

“ Vaccines remain and over the last 50 years, essential vaccines have saved at least 154 million lives, that is, six lives a minute, every day, for five decades.

“ UNICEF, therefore, joins efforts with health care providers and governments to promote the values of immunisation services as should, which entails getting to the last mile,” she said.

Chiluwe commended the contributions from state governments that compliment UNICEF’s efforts and urged them not to relent in their partnership.

She further urged them to build momentum on progress made so far by continuing to provide budgetary allocations to ensure that every eligible child gets lifesaving vaccines to survive and reach their full potentials.

Mr Francis Nwanbani, Director-General, Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State and UNICEF’s implementing partner, said that it was necessary to ensure that the successes of the past five decades were replicated going forward.

This, he said, would help to achieve the “humanly possible” campaign.

“ We must endeavour to reach more children with essential immunisations while developing new and newer vaccines to cover a broader range of diseases and ages,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that lectures at the dialogue focused on sustainable vaccine development and immunisation strategies especially for children. (NAN)

April 26, 2025 0 comments