FCT- PHCB To Begin Supplemental Immunization Activities October 26

In a bid to guard against child killer diseases, the Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care Board, FCT- PHCB has set October 26th to 2nd November to vaccinate children within ages 0-5years against measles and other preventable diseases.

The Acting Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr Ruqayya Wamakko made this known during a one day media training for Journalists ahead of the Integrated Supplemental Immunization Activities (SIAs) in Abuja, in collaboration with UNICEF.

She explained that the rationale was to effectively create awareness about the dangers of none vaccination to ensure that no child in the territory is affected, deformed or died of any preventable diseases as a result of ignorance.

Speaking on information management in addressing rumors, the Social And Behavior Change Officer, UNICEF, Mrs Margaret Adaba Soyemi who cautioned against misinformation, disinformation and assumption, urged Journalists to always do their due diligence, to be able to speak from an informed position.

Citing an example that assumption could be misleading, Mrs Soyemi explained that the 2024 August survey statistics on immunization in AMAC- FCT with a more enlightened population, got the lowest percentage of vaccinated children, while Abaji Area council got the highest number of vaccinated population; emphasizing that such should not happen, because the essence of the intervention is to protect all children in both cosmopolitan city and rural areas.

“For UNICEF, immunization is a key deliverable for children because a lot of diseases that affect children can actually be prevented with vaccines.” Soyemi said.

On her part, the Head Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization, FCT-PHCB, Mrs Ladipo noted that the Federal Government and development partners like the UNICEF have invested huge sums of money to ensure that the vaccines are available, acessible and given free of charge .

Giving an overview of the (SIAs), Acting Director, FCT- PHCB, Dr Okoli Nicholas noted that diseases such as polio, tuberculosis, hepatitis B, whooping cough, pneumonia, cervical cancer, measles, yellow fever, diarrhea, HPV could be kicked out of Nigeria if all parents and guardians complement Government’s efforts by allowing their children to take the required doses of the different vaccines meant to prevent and boost their immunity .

Dr Nicholas further explained that the supplemental immunization which will be conducted in FCT and other states of the federation beginning from October 26th to November 2nd, is targeted to serve as a booster to those that have taken before, but still within 0-5yrs, and also to cover those that were yet to take the complete immunization vaccines.

While expressing dismay, that millions of children still died of preventable diseases, Dr Nicholas urged parents to take the well-being of their children seriously by accessing this supplemental immunization vaccines.

Speaking on the power of the media in shaping perceptions, Mrs Chinyere Umeh of the Primary Health Care Board who described the media as critical partners and agenda setters , appealed to the media to be deliberate in mobilising parents by educating and emphasizing the benefits of routine immunization as well as its dissavantages .

Contributing, One of the Development Partners in a goodwill message, Mr Umaru Sani emphasized that routine Immunization is meant to prevent diseases, hence all hands must be on deck by relevant stakeholders to ensure that no child is left unvaccinated.

In their seperate goodwill messages, the FCT Chairman of the Nigeria Institute Of Public Relations, Representative of Breakthrough Assured Nigeria, and Afrinet Network Foundation , unanimously pledged their support for the success of the SIAs, with a call on parents to make their children available to access the vaccines.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji