The Anambra State Government on Tuesday revealed that over 47 percent of deaths that occur in infants and children in the state, is as a result of diarrhoea.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo disclosed this during the introduction of the Rotavirus Vaccine into the state routine immunization schedule at Primary Health Centre, Enugwu-Agidi, Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.
The introduction means that infants in the state can now receive Rotavirus Vaccine free of any cost at all public and private healthcare centres in Anambra State.
The introduction is through the collaborative efforts of Anambra State government and her partners such as the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, World Health Organization, WHO, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, Rotary International and other local and international partners.
Speaking on Tuesday at the flag-off of the exercise at Enugwu-agidi, Governor Soludo said that Rotavirus Vaccine is essential to reduce the number of deaths caused by diarrhoeal diseases, as diarrhoea is the leading cause of deaths in infants.
Governor Soludo represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike asked community and religious leaders to help sensitize their community members on the importance of ensuring that their children receive the Rotavirus Vaccine.
He said there is no longer any reason for anyone not to take the vaccine as the State Government and her partners through their collaboration have ensured that the vaccine is given at no cost in all the health facilities in the state.
“The available statistics we have shows that of the total deaths that occur in infants and children in the state, 47 percent is due to diarrhoeal diseases. That is why the Soludo administration has decided to consider introducing the Rotavirus vaccine in the state immunization schedule.
“We want to ensure that our children no more die of diarrhoeal diseases.
“But, we need our community leaders to help us spread this message because if government should spend these huge amounts of monies to make the vaccine available and our people are not accessing them, it will amount to total waste.
“We appeal to mothers and care givers to take advantage of this opportunity to secure all-round qualitative health for their children,” he said.
The governor who explained that taking the vaccine does not necessarily mean total eradication of the diarrhoeal diseases, noted that with the vaccines, the effects of the disease will be minimal and mortality significantly reduced.
According to him, the explanation is important, to ensure that people do not take the vaccine and continue doing things that expose the children to diarrhoeal diseases.
The Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Chioma Ezenyimulu explained that Rotavirus vaccination will be intensified in all primary health centers in the state from Tuesday November 29, 2022 to Wednesday December 6, 2022 for children aged six weeks to twenty-three months,
After that, she said, it will be administered as part of the usual routine immunization schedule at the sixth, tenth and fourteenth week of a child alongside the pentavalent vaccine.
Dr Ezenyimulu added that the vaccine which plays a preventive role is very critical as diarrhoeal diseases caused by Rotavirus do not respond to antibiotic therapy but only rehydration-a treatment method that is difficult to be applied on infants.
Contributing, the State Co-ordinator, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr Obiora Agbakwulu who spoke on behalf of the partners, pledged their support in ensuring that the exercise yields expected results in the state while the Transition Committee Chairman, Njikoka Local Government Area, Mr MyClems Aguiyi commended the Anambra State Government for all its efforts to better primary health care services and solicited the support of the State government in providing enough qualified health personnel at the primary health centers.
Governor Soludo later led other dignaritaries at the event to perform the symbolic administration of Rotavirus Vaccines on the children.
The flag-off ceremony was well attended by community leaders in Enugwu-Agidi and Njikoka Local Government Area led by Igwe Mike Okeke-Uche, the Traditional Ruler of Enugwu-Agidi, his cabinet and the President General of the Community, Pharmacist Victor Okeke.
