Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has scored his administration high in the provision of qualitative and affordable healthcare.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti while flagging off the April 2014 National Immunization plus Days (NIPDs), Dr. Fayemi noted that vital health statistics have been upward looking since the advent of his administration in October, 2010.
The Governor who spoke through his deputy, Professor Modupe Adelabu, said that the Health care delivery agenda of his administration was particularly focused on the vulnerable group including pregnant women, children of 0 to 5 years, elderly and the physically challenged.
He explained that offering health protection to pregnant women and children was aimed at securing the future while catering for the elderly would protect the heroes that have contributed to the development of the society.
Reiterating his commitment to the sustenance of all the maternal and child health programmes, Fayemi solicited the continued support of all stakeholders for the programmes in order to achieve the desired goals.
According to him, his administration’s programmes are designed to involve community ownership of health institutions in the state, adding that Community Health Committees have been set up to drive the process and sustain the feedback mechanism.
He urged parents, guardians and other stakeholders not to handle the issue of immunization with levity, stressing that the future of children not protected against the deadly diseases cannot be guaranteed.
The Governor listed the diseases targeted by the current round of immunization to include polio, tuberculosis, measles, yellow fever and pneumonia which he said are the leading causes of child morbidity and mortality.
Commending the dedication of Health workers in the state as well as the cooperation of parents and other stakeholders which led to the 99% coverage recorded in the first round of the NIPDs in March 2014, Governor Fayemi assured that arrangement has been made to ensure 100% coverage in the current round of the programmed stressing that anything less was unacceptable.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Professor Olusola Fasubaa who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Primary HealthCare Agency, Mrs. Folake Falore said that in spite of the huge success recorded in the last exercise, the state government would not relax until the safety of all children in the state is guaranteed.
Prof. Fasubaa highlighted strategies adopted for the exercise to include fixed posts, house-to-house as well as transit and temporary fixed posts such as markets, churches and mosques.
He urged parents to make their children available for the programmed stressing that the vaccines are free and safe.
Last modified: April 13, 2014
