The Deputy Governor, Chief Ikechukwu Emetu has charged members of the State Immunization Task Force to brace up to the challenge of ensuring that children under the ages of five gets immunized during the various routine Immunization currently going on across the State.
Chief Emetu who gave the charge during an inaugural meeting he held with members of the State Immunization Task Force at Govt House, Umuahia said Govt on its part will leave no stone unturned to render every necessary assistant and support to various Health Organizations and members of the Task Force to sustain the envious ranking of Abia amongst the best performing States in in Immunization coverage across the country.
The Deputy Governor and Chairman of the Task Force pointed out that the Dr Alex Otti’s led administration being aware of all the limitations and challenges working against the success of immunization programs in the State, is assiduously addressing all bottlenecks, especially in areas of accessible roads, security and other logistics that is working against their carrying out a seamless exercise.
He stressed the need for more sensitization and advocacy programs by stakeholders, opinion leaders, Traditional Rulers and religious leaders at all levels in the wards and Local Govt Areas of the State and warned that Govt will not tolerate any form of indiscipline, unwarranted harassment and attacks on Health Officials on immunization duties.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Ngozi Okoronkwo who noted that early immunization will ensure that children are protected against killer diseases decried the issues of inadequate security, vaccines,cultural and religious barriers which had posed as big challenges and expressed optimism that support from stakeholders will go a long way to consolidate the success already recorded in the State’s immunization exercises.
Also speaking, the Acting Executive Secretary, Abia State Primary Health Care Development Authority, Mrs Gladys Ike and the Chairman, Body of Health Authority Secretary, Mrs Ngozi Eke disclosed that their task includes among others to ensure effective leadership and coordination of all immunization activities in the State and expressed optimism that, with the strong support from Govt, the Task Force Team will meet the desired expectations of the State Govt.
The meeting featured an immunization update, challenges and way forward by the State Immunization Officer, Mrs Chinwe Eke and the State Monitoring Officer, Mr Victor Ukonu as well as goodwill messages from Donor and Partner Agencies from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, SYDANI among others.
Uche Maduchukwu