The Kogi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (KSPHCDA) has flagged-off the second round of 2019 local immunisation days (LIDs) of children against six-killer diseases in Obeiba, Okehi local government area of Kogi state.
Executive Director KSPHCDA Dr Abubakar Yakubu said this at the LIDs’ inauguration ceremony in Obeiba.
He said the programme was organised to enhance the agency’s routine immunization (RI) performance across the state and by extension the state’s report at the national level.
According to him, “the first round of 2019 LIDs was flagged off at Okofi in Kogi LGA, January this year and today we are here at Obeiba 1.”
‘’The choice for this flag-off at Obeiba 1 is premised on the report of so many partially immunised (PI) children discovered in the area. A lot of parents and caregivers start the immunisation process and refuse to complete it.
“We also have resistance by some who deliberately would not have their children immunised. This trend is disturbing because our children will be exposed to childhood diseases in the near future.
‘’We are also aware that Eika Ward is an area for concern, especially Abobo and Eika communities. I specially solicit the assistance and commitment of the LGA team to give special attention to such areas because of migrants”
The executive director also encouraged the people to seize every opportunity to get their children immunised against childhood killer- diseases.
He, however, appealed to the sole administrator and LGA team to take ownership of every health related and routine immunisation activities which bordered on children and commended the state commissioner for health, the state coordinator SOML, program manager ANRIN, and other partners, especially WHO and AFENET.
Dr Yakubu noted that their collective contributions had immensely enhanced routine immunisation activities in the state and hoped for more collaborative efforts to making the communities and children healthy.
He also appreciated the state technical facilitators (STFs), supervisors and all health workers currently on the field for this programme, saying they must all work together to achieve their common goal.
Speaking at the event, the commissioner for health, Dr Saka Audu, congratulated the agency for the successful flag-off of the second round of the LIDs.
Audu, who was represented at the occasion by Mr James Ameh, the director administration and finance (DAF) of the ministry, urged the people to discard euphoria and all superstitious believes about immunisation.
He called on mothers to bring out their children for immunisation, while urging fathers, community, traditional and religious leaders to do everything humanly possible to sensitise their people.
In his remarks, the Ohi of Ihima and chairman Okehi traditional council, Alhaji Ahmed Ogido, reaffirmed his people’s commitment to get their children immunised against killer-diseases.
