Immunization; Most Cost Effective Strategy To Reduce Child Mortality – Fayemi

Ekiti State Governor,Dr Kayode Fayemi, giving a baby oral drop during the kick-off of the Free Health Mission in the State.

Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has described immunization as the most cost effective strategy to reduce childhood mortality and morbidity caused by preventable diseases such as tuberculosis, Diphtheria, measles and yellow fever among others.

The Governor stated this in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday while inaugurating a 15-man committee on Polio eradication and Immunization; saying that his administration was leaving no stone unturned to maintain the zero prevalence rate of wild polio in the State as it was giving more attention to the well-being of the citizenry through the various health programme.

Dr. Fayemi said the inauguration of the task-force was an outcome of the resolution of the 15th meeting of the Expert Review Committee (ERC) on Polio eradication and routine immunization in 2008 which recommended the establishment of high level Inter-sectoral committee in form of a State task force on polio eradication and routine immunization.

While charging the Committee to be committed to the task ahead of them, the Governor said the “modest success” recorded in the polio eradication programme in the State is traceable to high level of commitment of his administration to health care delivery as well as social mobilization efforts of traditional, religious and community leaders in the State.

“It may interest you all to know that Ekiti State has been selected as one of the 16 states across the federation to benefit from the first phase introduction of the pentavalent vaccine against haemophilus influenza type B. It is one of the two states in the south west to implement this additional vaccine. The other is Lagos State”, he added.

Fayemi submitted that he wanted, “as a matter of expedience”, total coverage of the targets across the nooks and crannies of the State; saying that he is very passionate about comprehensive immunization of children.

The terms of reference of the task force among others included: ensuring effective leadership and coordination of all immunization activities, coordination of planning and execution of Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs) in the state, and prepare and regularly review/ update a 12-month State plan for the intensification of polio eradication and routine immunization activities required for interruption of wild polio virus transmission.

Members of the Taskforce are the Commissioner for Health, Professor Sola Fasubaa who chairs the committee, the Commissioner for Information and civic orientation, Funminiyi Afuye, his Counterpart in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Dayo Fadipe, Women Affair, Social Developemnt and Gender Empowerment , Mrs Fola Richie-Adewusi and her coleague in the Education Ministry, Dr Eniola Ajayi.

Others are the caretaker chairman of Ekiti East Local Government, Rotimi Ajidara, Chairman of Traditional Rulers in the State, Oba Gbadebo Adedeji, Dr. Obadare Ojo, Dele Morakinyo, Pastor Elijah Olatunji, Tope Babalola, Dr (Mrs) Akinyemi, Mrs Olalotiti-Lawal Modupe, Alhaja Abdulahi Basirat and Mrs Falore Folakemi.

In his speech, the Chairman of the Taskforce and Commissioner for Health, Professor Sola Fasubaa thanked the Governor for the opprotunity given to the committee to serve the State and promised to work hard in order to meet up with the target and terms of reference of the taskforce.

Last modified: June 7, 2012