Kelvin Obambon|2 July, 2018
The Cross River State Government through the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, CRSPHCDA, in conjunction with development partners, Sunday, flagged off the 2nd Round National Immunization Plus Day(NIPDs) in the state NegroidHaven can report.
The exercise which took place at the Assemblies of God Church, Nelson Mandella, Calabar, was flagged off by the executive governor of Cross River State, His Excellency, Senator (Prof.) Ben Ayade, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Prof. Ivara Esu.
Speaking shortly before flagging off the exercise, Prof. Esu thanked the minister-in-charge of the church, Rev. (Dr) Joseph Ajor and all members who patiently waited for his arrival after the conclusion of service. He said what they have done has saved the lives of many children, describing their action as a service to God.
While expressing his willingness and determination to always participate in immunization activities, the deputy governor stated that the policy thrust of Senator (Prof.) Ben Ayade-led administration is to have zero per cent on polio and other childhood diseases.
Speaking further, Prof. Ivara Esu said immunization is very important in raising healthy and intelligent children. He therefore urged parents to ensure that their children are immunized, assuring them the exercise is free and safe.
''I want to sincerely thank the minister-in-charge of the church, Rev. Ajor and all members of this church, especially because you have sit on to wait for me to arrive for this exercise to commence. What you have done, you never would know you have saved the lives of many children here today, and that is to me, a service to God.
''As long as I remain in office, and for whatever it takes, I will always participate in immunization activities. The policy thrust of Ayade's administration is to have zero per cent on polio and other childhood diseases.
''When a child is fully immunized against all the childhood diseases, he or she grows up very strong, grows up very intelligent and hardly would fall sick. Ensure that your child is immunized. The exercise is totally free and safe, so come forward and embrace it'', Prof. Esu said.
Earlier, the director general of Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Betta Edu, said the state government is targeting at least 808, 470 children in the 2nd round NIPDs, saying Nigeria is almost getting near to being declare polio free. She stated that the government and its partners have mobilized over 7,500 people to carryout the vaccination exercise across the state, which is to last four days.
''We want to ensure that at least 800, 000 children in Cross River State receive two drop of polio vaccines. Nigeria is gradually getting to the last bus-stop as it concerns polio.
''The government, together with our partners have mobilized over 7,500 people for the next four days to be in the field; go from house to house, to every market, to every church, to every mosque, to every home and ensure that our children between 0-5 years have unhindered access to polio vaccines. We need 100 per cent coverage in the next polio exercise which started yesterday.
''Polio vaccines are safe. Polio vaccines are free. The government of Cross River State and our partners have paid in full'', she declared.
Also speaking, the commissioner for health, Dr (Mrs) Inyang Asibong, urged parents to get their children immunized, adding that the state is doing very well in the area of immunization.
She disclosed that the state has been adjudged by UNICEF as the state with the best child survival indices in Nigeria, which according to her, led to Her Excellency, Dr (Mrs) Linda Ayade, being made the pioneer child survival ambassador in the country.
''Make sure that our children are all immunize. Not only for polio; take these children to health facilities and get them immunize for other preventable causes. We have a wide range of immunizations that are free in all our health facilities. So get your child as a caregiver, as a mother, as a father to the nearest health facilities to make sure that child stays free of polio and other preventable diseases.
''Cross River State has been doing very well in the area of immunization. It has been adjudged by UNICEF as the state with the best child survival indices in Nigeria. And of course, due to this, the wife of the governor was actually made the pioneer child survival ambassador in the country'', Dr Asibong said.
In his remarks, the chairman, house committee on health, Cross River State House of Assembly, Dr Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, said the survival of the children is critical in view of the fact that they are the future leaders. And as such, he said, ''They must be in good health to be able to play that role of leadership.''
Speaking further, the lawmaker described polio as a deadly, disability and preventable disease. The fact that polio is preventable, according to Dr Ekpo Ekpo, underscores the need to fight the dead and disability associated with it by taking proactive measure like immunizing children against polio.
He appealled to health workers to see themselves as people whom God has positioned to save the lives of children, charging them to be sacrificial and committed by going into remote areas that are difficult to access to administer vaccines.
He however emphasized the need for the exercise to cover Cameroonians, who as a result of the civil unrest in their country flee to Nigeria, and Cross River State in particular. This he said, is to prevent cross-border transmission of the virus.
There were other dignitaries at the event, among whom were, the chairman, local government service commission, Dr Peter Adigep, represented by a commissioner in the commission; the head of local government administration, Calabar South, Mrs Christiana Elemi and the permanent secretary, state ministry of health, Dr Joseph Bassey.
There were also goodwill messages from development partners such as WHO, represented by the state coordinator, Dr Tom Igbu; UNICEF, represented by Mr Ephraim Chukwu and Rotary International, represented by Mrs Regina Udobong.
High point of the event was the official flagging off of the 2nd round immunization plus day by the deputy governor who personally administered vaccines to children under 5 years, and the distribution of insecticide treated nets.
Obambon
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