By Abdullahi Ibrahim
Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State has said that the newly introduced pentavalent vaccine in the state will receive serious government attention.
He stated this during the state flag off of the 2013 Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week as well as the introduction of Pentavalent Vaccine in Lokoja, the state capital on Monday.
Represented by the state Head of Service, Dr Moses Atakpa, the governor who described the vaccine as an integrated health care programme designed by UNICEF to immunize children against preventable diseases, said the vaccine has the advantage of preventing five diseases using a single dose.
He described the strategy as a critical intervention by his administration to reduce death of children to the barest minimum, and called on experts to find and carry out innovative ways and research that will lead to the discovery of solutions to deaths during child birth with a view to saving newborn and children.
According to him, the urgent need to make child birth safer has several benefits which cannot be overemphasized and such research will enable women contribute to nation building and for children to attain their full potentials.
The importance the present administration attaches to women and children, the governor noted, elicited the comprehensive health need for vulnerable groups like pregnant women and children, saying plans have been concluded to reduce the cost of treatment for the affected groups in the state.
He commended the council chairmen in the state for their collaboration in not only meeting the Millennium Development Goals in children’s health but also in other areas, and said it is a sure way of bringing health care delivery closer to the people.
In her goodwill message, Hajia Halimat Wada, wife to the state governor, described the introduction of the Pentavalent vaccine as a step in the right direction, adding that more lives would now be saved in the state.
The First Lady said her Pet Project, the Kogi Women Empowerment Network, will continue to collaborate to accelerate health programme that will benefit women and children through effective mobilization of human and other resources.
In his speech, Dr Idris Omede, the state Commissioner for Health, said the newly introduced Pentavalent Vaccine, made up of DPT, Hepatitis B and Heamophilus influenza type B and which has been distributed across the state, will prevent children from having Diptheria, Whopping Cough, Tetanus, Hepatiti and Pneumonia.
He called on parents, mothers, caregivers to avail themselves of the government’s resolve to improve the health of communities, women and children in the state by embracing the new innovation.
On his part, Dekina Local Government Area chairman, Mohammed Ali, commended the state government in the concern shown on the health needs of the people and appealed to parents in the council to turn out en masse for the five day immunization programme.
The flag off ceremony also witnessed the presentation of goodwill messages from WHO, UNICEF, NCWS, National Population Commission and the Ministry of Women Affairs, who commended the commitment of Capt Idris Wada has shown in the health needs of women and children.
Highlights of the flag off was the presentation of gift items to women, administration of vaccines to children as well as the presentation of mosquito nets to women and children from the area.
© dARA for Royal Times of Nigeria Newspaper, 2013. |
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posted in Health by Tunde LEMUEL