The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has charged mothers to beware of the dangers and other health risks that are inherent in non-immunisation of underage children.
The governor, a medical doctor turned politician, warned them against childhood killer diseases such as polio, yellow-fever, measles, diarhoea and pneumonia among others.
At the 2013 Fourth Quarter Polio Eradication and Sensitisation Campaign held in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of the state, the governor called on fathers to be supportive if overall success must be achieved.
Mashalling out the best method to keep the disease at bay through regular immunisation, six months (exclusive) breast feeding, maintaining a clean environment, Uduaghan said a new vaccine would be introduced into the routine immunisation scheme in line with the National Immunisation Policy.
His words: “There is need for you to bring your children and wards for regular immunisation, breast-feeding and keeping your environment clean.
“With this, we will be able to drive away diseases from our homes and children.
“It is important that as mothers you know the dangers and health risks associated with non- immunisation of your children against the childhood killer diseases”
While he charged council areas in the state and other stakeholders to re-double their efforts at immunising children against polio/measles and other childhood diseases, Uduaghan re-affirmed his administration’s commitment to improving health care delivery.
According to him, there was the need for communities to live in peace and avoid crisis that could trigger mass movement of people, spread of infectious diseases and displacement from their homes.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara, lauded the mothers for turning out for the exercise, even as he explained that the new vaccine mentioned by his boss would help reduce diarhoea and pneumonia in children.
Otumara appealed to council areas to allocate adequate resources for immunisation and other programmes of the state Primary Health Development Agency.
The commissioner thanked international and local donors for their support, urging traditional rulers and groups to support the state’s efforts in improving the immunisation record in the state.
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