Leadership (Abuja)
Achor Abimaje
16 November 2008
Jos — Partnership to Reinforce Immunization Efficiency, EU-PRIME, has disclosed that Plateau state recorded 23 new cases wild polio this year. It pointed out that the state had recorded low turnout in its routine immunisation programmes in the state over the years.
According to the ministry of health, the high rate of polio outbreak was due to none compliance on the part of inhabitants of the area with the cases which include Kanam, Quan Pan, Jos North, Shendam, Wase and Miknag local government areas.
The commissioner of health, Dr (Mrs.) Angela Miri, who confirmed this during a media parley organised by EU-PRIME Project, regretted that the state achieved low percentage in its immunisation programmes in the year because of the incessant strike actions.
While calling on the media to assist in propagating the importance of routine immunisation, Mrs. Mrs Miri said everything has been put in place to address the situation, noting that Governor Jonah Jang attached so much importance to the health sector.
The logistics officer of EU-PRIME, Abdul Abdulmumini in her remark said it was regrettable that the state with a reasonable number of health facilities, was still performing badly in its immunisation drive.
According to him, with as much as 759 of such facilities, it would be difficult if the 75 percent target for immunisation activities against Vaccine Preventable Diseases, VPDs, would be achieved; hence the need to collaborate with the media in order to meet such target before the year ran out.
Also contributing, the state Programme Manager of EU-PRIME, Sir, Peter V. Wuyep said the programme has trained over 5000 medical workers in the state over the years, and provided four-wheel drives to the 17 local government areas as well as one for the ministry of health.
Wuyep added that huge resources have been sunk into the programme of immunization, but regretted that it was yet to yield the desired benefits, thereby challenging the media that it has a role to enlighten and educate parents to bring their children to benefit from such activities.
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