Obaseki says Edo committed to child-immunisation

Edo Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on Friday affirmed the state government’s commitment to reducing child mortality through sustained immunisation in the state.

The governor stated this at the launch of the 2017 National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) at New Benin Market, Benin.

He stressed the importance of immunization for children below five years.

“I understand that the state achieved 76 per cent immunization coverage as at February this year.

“I want to assure you that my administration will make it 100 per cent by improving health service delivery in the state.

“We are commencing the implementation of the Save-a-Million-Lives programme in the state to ensure that maternal and infant mortality is reduced.

“We intend to set up a telephone line to allow people report cases of births of children and ensure that immunization is followed up for the children.

“We want to also ensure that every market has a primary health care centre with a nurse and necessary facilities and water in our markets as a way of reducing health challenges,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Peter Ugbodaga, said that the exercise was to complement the routine immunization in the state.

Ugbodaga said the choice of flagging off the programme in a market was to ensure that no child was missed out during the exercise.

He advised parents, especially mothers, to immunize their wards to prevent them from vaccine preventable diseases.

Also, Mrs Faith Ireye, the Coordinator of World Health Organisation in the state, commended the state for sustaining polio-free status for the past seven years.

Ireye said that the organisation would continue to collaborate with the state to ensure that children lived healthily.

The NIPDs will hold in all the local councils from Friday to Tuesday.