The Cross River State primary Health Care Development Agency, CRSPHCDA has scheduled December 4th – 10th for its statewide immunisation campaign against meningitis.
The Director General, CRSPHCDA disclosed this during a media parley organized by the state social mobilisation team comprising the office of the state Immunisation officer led by Mrs Joy Chabo and and the social mobilidation office headed by Mrs Nsa Ekpenyong, on Tuesday, aimed at strategising for awareness campaign in the state.
Declaring the meeting open, the DG stated that, the role of the media in sensitisation cannot be overemphasised, hence the need to engage the mainstream media in making sure that proper information on meningitis immunisation gets to the public especially the rural areas. “All hands must be on desk in making sure the exercise witness huge turnout”.
Reacting on some questions raised, the state immunisation Officer, Mrs Joy Chabo said the exercise which has been slated for 7 days will commence from December 4th to 10th with an additional two days for mop up exercise.
Mrs Joy further clarified that, the exercise wouldn’t be conducted on house to house basis but at designated locations across the 18 LGAs of the state . The immunisation Officer further explained that the immunisation is strictly for children within one to five (1-5) years old with its mode of operation being the injectable format.
On her part, the state mobilisation officer, Mrs Nsa Ekpenyong, urged parents to allow their wards participate in the exercise as this would go a long way in protecting them against outbreak of meningitis.
Mrs Nsa noted that over the past months, the agency has reached out to some organisations including the Christian Association of Nigeria, Muslim community, Nigeria Medical Association, as well as traditional and opinion leaders across the state to encourage parents and caregivers to bring out their children and wards for the slated exercise.
Clearly, the exercise has been slated for December 4th to 10th and is it for children within the ages of 1-5. Moreso, the exercise would be conducted in all government health facilities including primary health care centres, health posts, general hospitals, as well as in some temporary fixed points comprising of schools, churches, markets and its like.
