Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa says his administration is committed to the wellbeing of every child in Ondo state through regular vaccination against all childhood diseases.

He has therefore encouraged mothers and caregivers in the state to present their children and wards from age 9 to 59months for the ongoing immunization against measles in the state.

Aiyedatiwa while flagging off the 2024 integrated measles vaccination campaign at the State Specialist hospital (Mother and Child) Oke-aro Akure said the government was aware of the fact that both unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children posed a great threat to the health of the already immunized babies, hence the plea to all stakeholders to ensure that no child was left behind in the ongoing campaign against measles.

Represented by the Commissioner for health, Dr Banji Ajaka, the governor hinted that the mandatory counterpart funding for the vaccination had been provided for by government while all logistics to facilitate one hundred percent coverage of Ondo state had also been made available.

“During this campaign, our target is to immunize over 924,119 children between the ages of 9-59 months across all our communities within a period of seven days. All logistics, including vaccines are available in good condition at the State and LGA cold stores and the required team of health workers for the exercise are on ground. Also, the two 100KVA Mikano generators, solely dedicated to the seamless functioning of the Cold Chain store at the Agency are functioning very well.

“You will therefore be seeing our health workers moving from place to place; schools as well as churches and mosques to immunize all eligible children. Therefore, I want to enjoin all citizens of Ondo State to embrace this Measles Vaccination campaign and be ready to make their children and wards available to receive the measles vaccine.”

Aiyedatiwa hailed the Ondo state Primary Healthcare Development Agency, OSPHCDA under the leadership of the Permanent Secretary, Dr Francis Adegoke Akanbiemu, all frontline health workers, mothers, religious leaders, community heads and the media for being proactive with all immunisation programmes in Ondo state.

He said ” I thank all members of the hardworking health team at Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA), I also thank all our community leaders and all the good people of Ondo State for accepting our healthcare interventions. I thank also, the media, for their reportage of our modest efforts in the health sector. It is heartwarming that the Ondo state came first among other participating states in the last measles campaign held in December 2022 with over 93% coverage.”

Reeling out the achievements of the state government in the health sector, Governor Aiyedatiwa hinted that his administration had prioritized investment in the sector, hence the recent approval for the increase in the entry point of medical doctors employed in Ondo State to level 13 step 2 as applicable among Federal Government doctors.

According to him, necessary adjustment had been made for other doctors already in the state’s employment to reflect the increase in remuneration of health workers in addition to the recruitment of doctors and nurses into
both the primary and secondary facilities.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo state primary healthcare development agency, Dr Francis Akanbiemu appealed to mothers and caregivers to present their children of 9-59months to health workers who would be visiting houses, markets, schools and other public places to administer the vaccine, assuring that Ondo state would record over 100% coverage to surpass the 93% recorded in the last measles campaign.

Dr Akanbiemu explained that primary health workers in all the 18 local government areas had been adequately mobilised to carry out the integrated immunisation against measles in Ondo.

“We have our health workers everywhere, even in hard to reach areas and difficult terrains, the vaccine will be provided for them and we expect our mothers to allow their children to take the vaccine as health workers will be visiting their homes, schools, markets or take them to the nearest primary healthcare centres for the vaccination at no cost.

Dr Akanbiemu applauded Directors and other staff of the agency for their support which had culminated into the success story on immunization programme in Ondo state.

The Director, Disease Control and Immunization, Dr Victor Adefesoye sought more support from stakeholders in achieving success with the vaccination campaign.

Representative of the World Health Organisation, WHO in Ondo state, Dr Dele Davis and that of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Halima Tafida described measles as an infectious disease with devastating effects but could be prevented with vaccine,
expressing the hope that Ondo state would record a huge success in the programme.

Some stakeholders, the chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN in Ondo state, Reverend Father Anslem Ologunwa, the Chief Imam of Akureland, Sheik Abdul-hakeem Yayi- Akorede and the Asae of Akure, Chief Sola Adegbonmire while commending the state government for ensuring the smooth running of all immunisation programmes promised to mobilize their followers for the exercise.

Two mothers whose children were vaccinated at the event, Mrs Iyanuoluwa Adewale and Titilope Olatoyinbo also thanked both the federal and state government for providing the vaccine for children and called on mothers to cooperate with health workers for the wellbeing of thier children.

The flag-off ceremony was witnessed by directors in the Ondo state Primary Healthcare Development Agency and other government fuctionaries.

The measles campaign which kicked off on October 12, 2024 will end on the 19th with Ondo state targeting over nine hundred thousand children.