By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The Kwara Government says it will soon commence rotavirus immunisation for infants and young children in the state.
Dr Nusirat Elelu, Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), said this in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin on Wednesday.
Elelu said that necessary arrangements had been completed by the state government to commence the exercise.
“The agency had already deployed about 200 health workers across board to provide first aid services.
”We will also identify poor performing wards in the state.
“Wards in Baruten, Kiama and Ifelodun, among others, were identified and the vaccine will be administered,” she said.
Elelu said that the agency had intensified immunisation campaigns on a series of diseases across the state.
She added that health workers had been trained to provide support services on nutritional services.
According to her, over 1000 pregnant women had so far benefitted from the nutritional services for their optimal health and their unborn babies.
Elelu further said that the state had keyed into the World Bank support programme of Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project.
She added that the state was also successful in the administration of iron, folic acid and ACT for malaria prevention among pregnant women.
Also speaking, Dr Michael Oguntoye, the Director, Primary Healthcare Development Agency said that the rotavirus spreads easily among infants and young children.
“The virus can cause severe watery diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain.
”Children who get rotavirus disease can become dehydrated and may need to be hospitalised.
“Good hygiene like hand washing and cleanliness are important, but are not enough to control the spread of the disease.
“Rotavirus vaccine is the best way to protect children against rotavirus disease,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)reports that rotavirus is a very contagious virus that causes diarrhea.
Before the development of a vaccine, most children had been infected with the virus at least once by age 5.
Although rotavirus infections are unpleasant, they can usually be treated at home with extra fluids to prevent dehydration.
