Polio: Abuja Has Only 3,242 Unimmunised Children – FCTA

BY DAVID ADUGE-ANI

The Federal Capital Territory administration (FCTA) has disclosed that in May, 2017, only about 3,242 children living in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are yet to be immunized against poliomyelitis.

Speaking when she flagged off the July Round of 2017 Sub-national Immunization Plus Days in Abuja at the weekend, acting secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), Mrs. Alice Odey-Achu noted that the figure is a drastic drop from 13,416 figure recorded in the same period in 2016.

Odey-Achu pointed out that within the same period, the FCT immunization work plan was equally approved, as it now operates with the cumulative Pent-3 coverage rate at 95 per cent in May this year, as against 71 per cent in 2016.

Represented by the director health management services, Dr. Mohammed Kawu, the acting secretary revealed that through the EU-SIGN projects, the Gui and Ayaura Primary Health Centres in Abuja Municipal and Abaji area councils had their infrastructure upgraded.

She added that nine direct drive solar refrigerators for vaccines storage had been constructed and installed in six area councils, while a standard cold store has been constructed for the FCT.

Odey-Achu stated that the administration places attainment of the target of polio eradication and certification in Nigeria as top priority, while all necessary arrangements that would ensure availability of relevant supplies have been made.

She urged the chairmen of the six area councils in the FCT to take up the challenge and be part of the polio end game, while calling on them to be personally involved in support of polio eradication and routine immunization by active concurrent supervision during the exercise.

Earlier in his welcome address, acting executive secretary, FCT Primary Health Care Board (FCT-PHCB), Dr. Matthew Ashikeni had revealed that the board had  take a delivery of about 884,000 doses of bivalent oral vaccine, which he noted, is more than adequate for the 746,466 target of under five population in the FCT.

Ashikeni also disclosed that the board has a total of 1166 house-to-house team, 127 fixed posts and 318 special teams, which would be responsible for vaccinating children in their houses, in the health facilities, on the streets, playgrounds, including others locations.