Ekiti is polio free – Fayemi

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has declared the state free of polio virus just as he lamented that some Northern states in the country still harbour the deadly paralytic virus.
Speaking at the Fajuyi Memorial park, Ado Ekiti, venue of the Governor’s Stakeholders’ sensitisation forum on polio eradication in Ekiti State, on Friday, Fayemi assured the people of the state that his administration would leave no stone unturned in maintaining the state’s current polio free status through prevention by immunization.

Fayemi explained that his government aims to use the forum, with the theme: “Community Leaders Against Polio,” to sensitise the people through respected leaders in their communities.
Stressing the importance of the efforts at eradicating polio, the governor said that the disease, which is capable of rendering otherwise healthy children crippled and reducing them to dependent individual for life, has no known cure while the children who are paralyzed through it would be crippled and carry the stigma for life.
According to him, the only way to prevent the devastating effect of polio on the community is through vaccination, which he said would protect potential victims “from the attendant long life effect on their wellbeing, their families and the society at large.”
The governor, who reiterated the commitment of his administration to the general wellbeing of the citizenry, stressed that health care service as enshrined in the eight-point agenda of his government is a priority.
He highlighted some of the programmes in the sector to include free medical services for children, pregnant women, the physically challenged and the senior citizens as well as the establishment of health centers in all localities, an increased immunisation coverage and free health mission anchored on a primary health care intervention with the singular aim of providing free medical diagnostic and treatment services to the people at the grassroots.
Fayemi said: “This programme is therefore meant to emphasise our commitment to the protection of our children and by extension, the preservation of our future generation in Ekiti State.
“The only way to protect all our children against polio forever is to ensure that every child under five years of age receives the polio vaccine during every immunization plus days campaign and during routine immunization at the health centres.”
Expressing appreciation to UNICEF, the World Health Organization, Rotary International, National Primary Health Care Development Agency among others for their support in the battle against the deadly disease in the state, Fayemi stressed the need for collaborative efforts towards ensuring success.
He therefore charged all participants to impact the knowledge gained at the forum in their respective communities in order to bequeath a worthy living devoid of avoidable traumas to the coming generations.