Awka
Prospective mothers and caregivers in Anambra state may soon have some succour as it concerns money they spend on immunization, as the state government has planned to introduce Rotavirus immunization by November this year.
The Anambra State Health Educator, Mrs Uju Onwuegbuzina disclosed this in an exclusive chat with TNC correspondent in Awka.
Currently, immunization against rotavirus which is a virus that spreads easily among infants and young children, causing severe watery diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain, is done on personal arrangement in both public and private hospital across the state.
The vaccine which is given to infants twice before six months, costs between N8,500 to N9,000.
But according to the State Health Educator, Onwuegbuzina, the state government has planned to introduce the rotavirus vaccine in the state immunization schedule by November, this year.
She said once the state government introduces the vaccine into its immunization schedule, it will be given free of charge in all public hospitals.
“Rotavirus vaccine is presently being administered on a personal arrangement basis in our hospitals and to tell you what the government spends on immunization, each vaccine costs at least N8,500.
“But government is planning on giving the vaccine free of charge immediately it introduces it in its immunization schedule,” she revealed.
The Anambra State Health Educator also revealed that by 6th of next month, the state will commence immunization campaign against measles.
This she noted is because of measles outbreak discovered in some local government areas in the state.
“Around March/ April this year, we had measles outbreak in nine LGAs of the state and this was a worrisome sign for the government,” she pointed out.
Mrs Onwuegbuzina harped on the need for mothers and care givers to take issues of immunization seriously, noting that available statistics shows that the people are still not accessing the vaccines despite the fact that they are free of charge.
According to her, government’s intention to reduce child mortality will be in vain with the people’s present attitude towards immunization.
She said; “I advise parents not to wait until their children fall sick before they take immunization seriously. It is even more worrisome that some of our children have not taken a single immunization vaccine since they were.
“We don’t want any outbreak of vaccine-preventable diseases and that is why we are advising our people to go to the health facilities to get the immunization services for their children.
“The economy is hard now and it will be more profitable to use the little funds available to parents to take care of other needs of the children and not to cure diseases.”
Onwuegbuzina who observed that a major challenge of the state health system is shortage of personnel, expressed happiness that the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo is already taking steps to recruit manpower for the sector.
She however advised parents not to overburden health workers by waiting for them to meet them at various points but to go to the health posts to access immunization services.
