The Edo State Government has asked community leaders, health professionals, partners, and other important stakeholders to step up efforts to increase awareness of the significance of the Second Phase Outbreak Response (OBR 2) to the circulating variant polio virus type 2 (cVPV2) campaign.
Dr. Omosigho Izedonmwen, the executive secretary of the Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), made the plea during a press briefing prior to the start of immunization in all 18 LGAs of the state.
He asserted that “polio, which results in severe weakening of the limbs, is accountable for some of the physical deformities prevalent in society but it is preventable by polio vaccination.”
he stated the vaccination will start on Saturday, January 21, 2023, and run through Tuesday, January 24, 2023 in all 18 LGAs of the state. He described poliomyelitis (polio) as a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects children under the age of 5, and that it can be spread through contaminated food and water.
The Executive Secretary stated that during the exercise, vaccinators will visit homes to give 2 drops of oral polio vaccine to children between the ages of 0 and 59 months. The Executive Secretary noted that while the administration of the vaccine is not harmful, it will improve the wellbeing of the children.
He encourages parents and other responsible adults to bring their eligible children to the nearby Primary Healthcare center for immunizations.