The Ekiti State government has called on parents, guardians and critical stakeholders in the health sector to embrace positive attitude towards immunization and promotion of healthy living among the citizens
The State Commissioner for Information, Rt.Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun made the call in Ado-Ekiti, during the Quarterly Social and Behavioral Committee Meeting organized by the State Ministry of Information in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).
Rt. Hon. Olatunbosun who was represented at the meeting by the Permanent Secretary of his Ministry, Mr Olusesan Alabi said that social and behavioral change campaign was a good strategy to addressing the problems of socio cultural barriers and misinformation by influencing individual behaviors through shifting social norms and creating an enabling environment for positive change.
He explained that the purpose of the meeting is to deliberate on social behaviors which he said must be preached everywhere and at every gathering so that people can live a healthy and productive life
The Commissioner pledged that the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji would continue to support vaccination campaigns as part of proactive steps to prevent diseases like polio and cervical cancer among the populace.
He restated the commitment of the administration to ensuring that the State continues to record significant improvements in its health indices.
Earlier in her welcome remarks, the Director of General Publication in the State Ministry of Information who is also the Coordinator of the programme, Mrs Sola Fadiran urged stakeholders and participants to effectively play their roles of disseminating messages on the values and benefits of children’s immunization.
In their presentations, the State Health Educator, Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Jumoke Oguntoye and State Immunization Officer, Mrs Omolabake Ogunlana, explained that vaccination remains one of the most effective tools in the collective fight against diseases.
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Speaking on Polio supplementation as well as the importance and benefits of immunization in disease prevention, they noted that Nigeria remains at the risk of the importation of the polio virus despite being declared polio-free, stressing that there was therefore the need to prevent resurgence of the killer disease and maintain zero polio status.
The health practitioners explained that Oral polio vaccines remain critical to safeguarding the children and called for stakeholders’ collaboration for the success of future vaccination campaigns.
In their contributions, participants at the forum called for a more friendly and community-driven campaign as well as possibly making the presentation of vaccination cards by parents a precondition for them to enjoy certain Government services particularly Government’s social investment programmmes.
They equally advanced that the State Child Rights Law be revisited and vigorously enforced to ensure that parent must not only prevent their children from harmful traditional practices but must also ensure that the children are routinely immunized against killer diseases .
The participants reiterated their commitment to continue to collaborate with the government to ensure that all campaigns geared towards improving the welfare of children and overrall development of Ekiti state are successful.
They thanked Ekiti State government and the UNICEF for initiating and supporting such a meeting describing it as strategic and timely.
Participants at the meeting include top government officials, religious and community leaders, Market women, educationists, NGOs, CBOs, media and health practitioners amongst others.