From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Government has commended the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Rotary International and other partners for their supportive role in promoting improved healthcare services in the state.
The state Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the commendation while flagging off the State Immunization Plus Days (SIPDs) and Routine Immunization Intensification Campaign at Otuokpoti Community in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement issued at the weekend by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, attributed Bayelsa’s success story in the health sector in recent years to the effective collaboration between the state and its development partners.
The Deputy Governor, who called on religious bodies and people of the state to make their children available for immunization, said the Governor Douye Diri-led Administration would continue to invest in the health and general well-being of Bayelsans.
He particularly urged parents to ensure that their young girls take the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) to prevent them from being victims of cancer disease, which prevalence rate, he noted, was on the increase in the country.
Addressing some of the issues raised at the ceremony, Senator Ewhrudjakpo, assured that the state government would sustain its war against fake drugs and expired consumable goods in the state to safeguard the health of the people.
The Deputy Governor, who also appreciated chairmen of local government areas, particularly that of Ogbia, for supporting immunization campaigns, announced that the flag off ceremonies of such programmes would henceforth be carried out in the various LGAs.
His words: “I want to encourage our people across the state to come out en masse and take part in this immunization exercise. Apart from the polio vaccine, we also have the malaria and HPV vaccines.
“Our mothers should know that it is always cheaper for you to have your child immunized for malaria and protect the child from malaria disease for about five years than for you not to immunize the child.
For our young girls, I want you know that cancer is rampaging and destroying our women at an alarming rate due to a lot of factors. So, we also want to encourage our young girls to come out for the HPV vaccine.
“But let me also, once again, thank our development partners in the health sector such as WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International and others including our own local government chairmen for their effective collaboration and support that had enable to record appreciable achievements.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, explained that the decision to move the venue of the flag off ceremony from LGA to LGA was to help educate rural dwellers on the importance of immunization as well as achieve their buy-in.
Prof. Brisibe thanked Governor Diri and his deputy, Senator Ewhrudjakpo, for giving leadership to ensure the actualization of the present administration’s vision of providing a robust healthcare system to increase the life expectancy of the people.
Also speaking, the Obanobhan of Ogbia Kingdom, His Eminence, King Charles Dumaro Owaba, represented by the Paramount Ruler of Anyama-Ogbia, Chief Sopana Amakiri-Agala, acknowledged the state government’s development efforts, but urged it to frontally tackle the issue of fake drugs and expired goods in the state.
In their separate goodwill messages, the state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Very Revd Father Joseph Opelema, a representative of the Muslim Community, Rasheeda Abdulkareem, and the Woman Leader of Ogbia Brotherhood, Lady Love Amaseimogha, pledged support for the immunization campaigns on behalf of their various groups.
Others who delivered goodwill messages at the event included, the state Coordinator of WHO, Dr Ntiense Omoette, a representative of Rotary International, Dr Ebitimitula Ogola, her UNICEF counterpart, Mr Godswill Anthony and Dr Nzideka Anene of the state chapter of Paediatric Association of Nigeria.
Highpoint of the event was the administration of oral polio vaccine to some children by the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Commissioner for Health, Prof. Brisibe and the Chairman of Ogbia Local Government Area, Mr Golden Jeremiah.
