By Haruna Gimba
Anambra State Government has concluded plans for the First Round National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) scheduled for Saturday, February 27 to Tuesday, March 1.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Akubuike stated in Awka while fielding questions from newsmen, saying the administration of all forms of children immunisation and vaccination in the state is free.
“All vaccines are free and safe; mothers and caregivers should avail themselves of this opportunity and make sure that their children are vaccinated,” he said.
Dr. Akubuike said the immunisation could only take place in government hospitals; other fixed posts at designated health facilities offering routine immunisation and mobile posts in a catchment area.
He added that the vaccines were supposed to be in a cold chain system which the private hospitals may not adhere to strictly, adding that the state government would not hesitate to sanction unauthorised private hospitals practicing such health service delivery in the state.
The commissioner said the immunisation approach was a strategy to deliver Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) with other routine immunisation antigens and public health interventions for children 0-5 years.
He said the result of the first round of NIPDs in March 2015 was 139 per cent, pointing out that the state had been polio free in the last 10 years.
Dr. Akubuike disclosed that; 1,102,424 0-5 years’ children, 220,485 0-11 months children, 275,606 pregnant women and 121,666 women of child bearing age were targeted during the one-week exercise.
