Ahmed flags off measles vaccination, calls for collective support

Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has flagged off Measles Vaccination Campaign in Ilorin the state capital, calling on parents and caregivers in the State to make their children available for the immunisation.

According to the governor, on no account should parents deprive their children a secure future and a healthy life on the basis of cultural and religious beliefs.

Ahmed explained that the state government had put in place strategies to reduce the burden of measles and placed a high premium on Primary Health Care and Routine Immunisation.

“The government has supported Primary Health Care activities by paying the counterpart fund for this Measles Vaccination Campaign and the biannual Maternal, New-born Child Health (MNCH) Week which is aimed at delivering high impact interventions to mothers and children”, he said.

He assured Kwarans that the forthcoming State Health Insurance Scheme would also ensure that quality and affordable health care services, including immunization, are accessible to all citizens of the State regardless of their economic status.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation, WHO, coordinator in the state, Mustapha Katibi, a Pharmacist, has commended the state government for retaining its polio free status since 2009.

Katibi in his goodwill message at the Measles Vaccination Campaign, said the WHO is pleased with Kwara State Government in its activities to ensure that the people of Kwara State attain highest standard of health.

The WHO Coordinator explained that his office had collaborated with the state in a number of campaigns, including the just concluded Yellow Fever Preventive Vaccination in which Kwara scored over 90% in Post Coverage Survey Report released last week.

Katibi, who disclosed that Measles remains a burden in Nigeria as a result of high level of unvaccinated children said: “Nigeria, being a signatory to the Measles elimination by the year 2020 is organising Measles campaigns from October, last year to March this year”.

SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin