The Bayelsa State Government has said that it will embark on a 13-day measles immunisation in the state as part of its effort to prevent untimely death among children.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu, who made this known at a briefing in Yenagoa, said children between the ages of nine months and five years would be immunised.
Etebu said the immunisation exercise would take place from March 1 at all hospitals, schools, market places, churches, mosques and motor parks across the state.
The health commissioner, who said the measles immunisation had no connection with the disease known as Monkey Pox, called on caregivers and mothers to ensure that every child is presented for the vaccine regardless of their previous vaccination statuses.
He said the campaign against measles infection was being co-sponsored by the Federal Government, partners and donors, adding that the vaccine was free, safe and beneficial to the children.
Also, the Commissioner for Education, Jonathan Obuebite, announced government’s decision to lift ban placed on medical outreach to schools during the monkey pox episode.
He said the lifting of the ban became necessary in order to allow the Bayelsa Child have access to the life-saving immunisation.
Obuebite, who said it was an offence for any teacher to prevent health workers from the humanitarian service in schools, explained that the state government’s huge investment in healthcare could only be meaningful when children are healthy enough to attend school and learn.
He said he would accompany the health workers to some schools during the exercise in order to demonstrate the importance government attached to the wellbeing of every child in the state.
On his part, the Commissioner for Information, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, who coordinated the Measles Campaign Press Briefing, explained that government’s huge investment in public health, particularly the establishment of the topnotch Diagnostic Centre, was indicative of its commitment to preventive care.
He said government also paid its counterpart funding for the measles immunisation outreach slated for March to ensure that children are healthy enough to attend the over 600 schools established in all parts of the state.
Iworiso-Markson called on public officeholders, members of the House of Assembly, community leaders and traditional rulers to deploy their influence in encouraging caregivers and parents to understand the importance of the measles immunisation to the wellbeing of their children and wards.
