Measles Vaccination Commences in Anambra tomorrow

 www.odogwublog.com reports that the Anambra State government is to commence measles vaccination campaign across the state from eight to twentieth (8^th-20^th) March 2018.

The Commissioner for Health Dr. Joe Akabuike disclosed this during a press briefing in Awka.

According to the Commissioner, the overall goal of the exercise is to urgently reduce the occurrence of measles and deaths due to the disease and outbreaks in the country through administration of measles vaccine.

Dr. Akabuike noted that it is very important to immunize children born after the last measles campaign in 2015 and 2016 who have not received a second measles vaccination or have never been immunized.

The Health Commissioner who revealed that Governor Willie Obiano will flag off the exercise at the Primary Health Centre Osumoghu, Ihiala Local Government area tomorrow noted that eligible children for the vaccination campaign are nine months to five years, even as he pointed out that they will concentrate more on some local government areas that have poor health indices such as Anambra East and West, Ayamelum, Awka North and Orumba North respectively.

The Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency ,Dr. Mrs Chioma Ezenyimulu in her speech noted that the exercise will kick off in Anambra Central and South Senatorial zones from eight to thirteenth march 2018 while that of Anambra North Senatorial Zone will kick off from fifteenth to twentieth March 2018.

Dr. Ezenyimulu maintained that they have mobilized and sensitized extensively all the relevant stakeholders like traditional rulers, market women, religious leaders among others for the smooth running of the exercise in the state and urged mothers and care givers to bring their children and wards to all the designated centres during the exercise for vaccination.

Measles is a highly infectious air borne diseases caused by measles virus through respiratory droplets and one of the childhood killer diseases that tends to occur in epidemics.