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Abia Targets 111,000 Children For Polio, Diphtheria Vaccines

Published

Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 04:35 PM

Written by Omotola Adeleke

Abia Targets 111,000 Children For Polio, Diphtheria Vaccines

Abia State has set a target to vaccinate 111,000 children who are yet to receive essential immunizations.

The vaccination campaign will focus on protecting children from polio, hepatitis B, pneumonia, and tetanus. Health authorities in Abia are working to reach unvaccinated children in both urban and rural areas, ensuring that no child is left behind.

According to Abia State Immunization Officer, Mrs. Chinwe Eke, the 111,000 unvaccinated children are spread across six Local Government Areas in the state. She mentioned that these children are being prioritized for immunization against various preventable diseases as part of an ongoing health campaign to improve public health and protect vulnerable populations.

Mrs. Eke, outlined the affected Local Government Areas (LGAs) with unvaccinated children: Aba South (29,448), Ohafia (17,382), Obingwa (18,670), Arochukwu (18,333), Osisioma (16,837), and Umunneochi (10,339).

She explained that the ongoing Big-Catch-Up vaccination campaign, which began on December 9, is focused on these areas.

She reported that only 30% of the target had been reached as of Sunday. However, a mop-up exercise was carried out on Monday and Tuesday to vaccinate more children.

She expressed optimism that the gap would be reduced during upcoming vaccination rounds in January and February 2025.

Mrs. Eke stated that this effort is part of the state's broader initiative to strengthen public health and prevent the spread of these dangerous diseases. The vaccination campaign is a crucial step in improving the health and safety of children across the state, safeguarding future generations.

She clarified that the Big-Catch-Up vaccination campaign was specifically created to reach children who missed their routine immunizations due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. She further explained that the initiative is part of a global effort to ensure all children who were previously left out of vaccinations are fully covered.

She added, "During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children missed their routine immunizations. This exercise is aimed at catching up with those children who were left behind during those years."

She explained that the vaccination exercise targets children between 24 months and five years old.

"When the national authorities reviewed our data, they found that 111,000 children have not received any of our vaccines since birth," she said.

The State Immunization Officer also expressed gratitude to UNICEF and the WHO for their support.

She also expressed her gratitude to Governor Alex Otti for his steadfast support of the State Primary Healthcare (PHC) system, which, she noted, has contributed to the state's global recognition.

Recall that, Abia recently received a $400,000 grant from UNICEF for its outstanding performance in PHCs.

Edited By: Chinedu Eze

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Abia Targets 111,000 Children For Polio, Diphtheria Vaccines

Abia State has set a target to vaccinate 111,000 children who are yet to receive essential immunizations.

The vaccination campaign will focus on protecting children from polio, hepatitis B, pneumonia, and tetanus. Health authorities in Abia are working to reach unvaccinated children in both urban and rural areas, ensuring that no child is left behind.

Mrs. Eke, outlined the affected Local Government Areas (LGAs) with unvaccinated children: Aba South (29,448), Ohafia (17,382), Obingwa (18,670), Arochukwu (18,333), Osisioma (16,837), and Umunneochi (10,339).

She explained that the ongoing Big-Catch-Up vaccination campaign, which began on December 9, is focused on these areas.

She reported that only 30% of the target had been reached as of Sunday. However, a mop-up exercise was carried out on Monday and Tuesday to vaccinate more children.

She expressed optimism that the gap would be reduced during upcoming vaccination rounds in January and February 2025.

Mrs. Eke stated that this effort is part of the state's broader initiative to strengthen public health and prevent the spread of these dangerous diseases. The vaccination campaign is a crucial step in improving the health and safety of children across the state, safeguarding future generations.

She added, "During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children missed their routine immunizations. This exercise is aimed at catching up with those children who were left behind during those years."

She explained that the vaccination exercise targets children between 24 months and five years old.

"When the national authorities reviewed our data, they found that 111,000 children have not received any of our vaccines since birth," she said.

The State Immunization Officer also expressed gratitude to UNICEF and the WHO for their support.

She also expressed her gratitude to Governor Alex Otti for his steadfast support of the State Primary Healthcare (PHC) system, which, she noted, has contributed to the state's global recognition.

Recall that, Abia recently received a $400,000 grant from UNICEF for its outstanding performance in PHCs.

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