Wife of the governor of Anambra State, Mrs Nonye Soludo has appealed to parents, guardians, school heads and religious leaders to allow children under their care to get vaccinated when the Measles-Rubella vaccination programme is fully rolled out.
Mrs Soludo stated this while inaugurating the Measles-Rubella vaccine introduction advocacy in Anambra State.
According to the governor’s wife, it is important for stakeholders to lead the advocacy, especially within parts of the state where turn out for vaccination is usually low.
She noted that there is a need to first all correct the false narratives and phobia for vaccines, and urged those who have children under their care to allow them to take the vaccine as it is safe and very effective.
Mrs Soludo further explained that measles and rubella are highly contagious viral infections that have led to unnecessary suffering, complications, and even deaths among our children, but noted that with the introduction of this combined vaccine, there is now a powerful tool to change that narrative — to reduce childhood mortality, prevent long-term disabilities, and secure the health of future generations.
Earlier in his speech, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, disclosed that the vaccine which would be fully introduced to Anambra State later this year, has been specially designed to eliminate cases of measles and rubella to zero in the state.
He called for an attitude of change among the people, explaining that it is only when every child within the immunization age bracket receives the vaccine that the diseases can be comprehensively defeated.
On his part, the World Health Organization’s Coordinator in Anambra State, Dr Muhammad Bonos, said that with the state’s excellent history of immunization compliance, he was optimistic that programme will achieve a positive outcome.
Also, at the event were local government health coordinators, grassroots mobilizers, wives of local government chairmen, representative of UNICEF, among others.
