By Muhammad Amaan
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has attributed the continuous outbreak of measles and other diseases in the country to the low level of vaccination.
A UNICEF Consultant, Dr Pita Obam made this submission at a one-day meeting of the State Social Mobilisation and Technical Committee (S-SOMTEC) on Wednesday in Abeokuta, Ogun state.
The programme was organised by the Ministry of Information and Strategy in Ogun, in conjunction with UNICEF and other stakeholders.
Obam, a social and behavioural consultant, in his presentation noted that issues of misinformation and vaccination hesitancy have continued to aggravate the situation.
He said all hands must be on deck to ensure quality participation, just as he called on all stakeholders to do their part.
“All stakeholders must support in creating awareness and the dissemination of key messages through official channels.
“They must also help in countering rumours of vaccine safety, engage in supportive supervision and resolve non-compliance,” the consultant said.
Obam listed decline in herd immunity, importation of cases, waning immunity and poor public health infrastructure, among others, as causes of measles outbreak.
He added that the disease was highly contagious and therefore the need to protect children through vaccination.
Speaking on the upcoming measles vaccination campaign in the state, Obam said it was scheduled to run from September 19 to September 25, advising parents to ensure they vaccinate their children.
“The target age is that of children between nine and 59 months, and they are expected to complete their childhood immunisation at a health facility to eliminate ‘zero dose children’,” he said.
In her presentation, Dr Olubukola Omotoso, a public health educator in the Ministry of Health, gave a breakdown of the situation of cholera outbreak in the state.
Omotoso said 11 out of the 20 local government areas in the state experienced an outbreak of cholera, having recorded a cumulative number of 135 reported cases since the outbreak.
“As at Monday, the cumulative number of reported cases since the outbreak is 135 and cumulative number of deaths is four.
“We have 131 cases discharged from our facilities and no new reported case of cholera in Ogun,” she said.
Earlier in his remarks, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Waheed Adeshina, said the meeting underscored the commitment to the well-being of mothers and children.
“These are those whose roles in our society are undeniably crucial.”
He added that the state government had continually ensured that mothers and children were not left behind in all maternal and infant interventions, irrespective of the country’s socio-economic realities.
“This commitment aligns perfectly with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which emphasise inclusivity and the well-being of all individuals.
“You will recall that in the last two months, our state experienced an outbreak of cholera, resulting in a few unfortunate fatalities.
“The state government responded swiftly to the outbreak and successfully curtailed its spread.
“However, we recognise that our work is far from over. We are now focused on implementing preventive measures to avert any future resurgence of this disease,” he said.
Adeshina thanked UNICEF and other stakeholders for their continued support and dedication to the health and well-being of the citizens.
