Second Round of Polio Vaccination Kicks Off in Oyo

By Rotimi Famakin

As part of sustained measures towards boosting the immune system of children for healthy growth, a second round of polio vaccination exercise tagged: “Outbreak Response Two” has been flagged off in Oyo State.

The Outbreak Response Two targeting children from zero to five years old is a collaborative project between the Oyo State government, the World Health Organization, WHO, the United Nations Children’s Education Fund, UNICEF and other partners.

Performing the official flag-off ceremony at the Oke Apon Health Care Centre, Total Garden, Ibadan, the Executive Secretary, Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, OYSPHCB, Dr Muideen Olatunji said polio melytis is a deadly ailment posing an impediment to the healthy growth of children as well as terminating the life of children.

The Executive Secretary who was represented by the Director, Disease Control and Immunization of the Primary Health Care Board, Dr Johnson Osoku said it is important for mothers to present their children for the immunizations to protect them against diseases. 

Dr Olatunji who said   the exercise is more important than palliatives being clamoured  for by the mothers advised them to shun any misconceptions from  individuals and report noticeable adverse reactions and complications to the primary health centres

The OYSPHCB executive secretary who claimed that there was no outbreak of polio in Oyo State however said traces of the disease were noticed from samples collected from dump sites.

While emphasising the need for timely presentation of children for immunization, Dr Olatunji said early vaccination of children would give children the required immunity against diseases.

Oyo State coordinator of WHO, Dr Phillip Zorto and representatives of  UNICEF Mr Samuel Olatunji stressed the need for mothers to ensure proper positioning of children for breastfeeding and presentation of the children for the vaccination.

Earlier, the Public Health Coordinator, Ibadan North Local government, Mrs Olatunbosun Aderoju who said the first round of the exercise was carried out in early March this year noted that the current exercise would last between today 20th of April and Monday 23rd April.

Mrs Aderoju urged mothers to maintain proper hygiene and cooperate with the vaccination team who she said would be moving from house to house to administer the drugs on children.

Some of the nursing mothers who were present lauded the programme describing it as timely and worthwhile.

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