By Maureen Ojinaka
Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has tasked political, religious and
community leaders on mobilisation and awareness creation for integrated immunisation
aimed at reducing disease burden in the state and beyond.
He gave the task at the launch of Integrated Non-Polio Supplemental Immunisation Activities; Measles,
Yellow Fever and COVID-19 Vaccination (Scale 3.0) and Birth Registration Campaigns in Enugu on Wednesday.
The governor, represented by his Deputy, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, said there is need for collective effort to ensure
mass participation in the COVID-19 and yellow fever inoculation.
He said the state government is committed to ensuring the wellbeing of all, adding that the government would
stop at nothing to ensure continuous immunisation for all — old, young and children.
According to him, the measles, yellow fever and COVID-19 vaccinations (Scale 3.0) are integrated and will go
simultaneously to ensure easy access.
He said “we must scale up in our COVID-19 vaccination notwithstanding that the state has been ranked first
among states in the country on Primary Health Care (PHC) service delivery, only second to FCT according to
ONE Campaign award recently.
“So, we want leaders to join in this integrated immunisation campaign and ensure no one is left out.
“For our mothers, they should ensure that no child within their neighbourhood is left out in the measles
and other childhood immunisations to keep them healthy and sound.”
Earlier, Dr George Ugwu, the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency
(ENS-PHCDA), said the state had prepared adequately for the integrated immunisation by massive mobilisation of leaders at the grassroots.
Ugwu said that the agency had trained over 7,392 health workers, both at the council and ward levels for the integrated
campaign.
He added that “we are targetting 1,103,055 persons with the Yellow Fever vaccine in this campaign and also targetting
607,041 citizens of Enugu State with measles vaccine.
“For the COVID-19 (scale up 3.0) vaccination, we are targetting 2,530,026, out of which, we have vaccinated 717,596 persons already
and counting.”
The executive secretary said that the state came second in the entire country with 91 per cent coverage rate in routine immunisation,
only behind Ebonyi in the 2021 Multi-Clustert Indicator Survey (MICS) Released in September 2022.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, said the state government had scaled-up the drive and zeal to deliver quality
healthcare to residents of the state.
He added that “I am assuring residents that effective healthcare team domiciled in the state will continue to work to ensure
optimal health of the people.”
In a goodwill message, the UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Enugu, Juliet Chiluwe, said UNICEF is committed to supporting immunisation
initiatives and logistics in the state.
Chiluwe noted that UNICEF had supported the ENS-PHCDA with 391 solar-dry refrigerator to store vaccines and sensitive antigens
in local government areas.
She said “UNICEF is also championing the birth registration meant to promote efficiency data collection and planning for the state.
“We also want mothers and parents to ensure full immunisation of their children since it is the most cost effective way to ensure
the health of all and reduce infant and childhood mortality.” (NAN)
