Governor Ifeanyi Okowa during the flag-off of Preventive Yellow Fever Mass Vaccination Campaign.
By Collins Agwam
Not many States in the country are as lucky as Delta State, where the Governor is a medical doctor with years of experience spanning decades. The Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has brought his rich medical training to bare in securing the lives of Deltans regardless of their affiliations.
Last month, Yellow Fever, an infectious disease spread by mosquitoes which is characterized by high fever and jaundice was discovered in two local government areas in Delta state, namely; Ika North – East and Ika South, claiming the lives of many citizens. It was as a result of this that the Ika North – East council Chairman, Barr Victor Ebonka declared a curfew in Ute-Okpu community in a bid to control the spread of the deadly disease.
As soon as the information got to Governor Okowa, a man who is always concerned about saving lives and ensuring the welfare of his people, he immediately flag-off the Preventive Yellow Fever Mass Vaccination Campaign in Delta state to prevent further spread of the disease.
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Okowa noted that the objective of the vaccination is to increase population immunity (herd immunity) to yellow fever to help reduce the risk of transmission of the disease in communities.
Identifying vaccination and clean environment as factors necessary in checking the outbreak of yellow fever, the Governor said that the health of the people was important to the government and assured that the government would remain committed to funding the health needs of the people, as he noted that the fight against yellow fever and other vaccine-preventable diseases require enormous collective efforts of individuals, households, health workers and various community-based organizations to ensure its prevention, control and surveillance.
“This campaign is a strategy aimed at sensitizing and vaccinating individuals between 9 months and 44 years with the Yellow Fever vaccine thus conferring lifelong immunity on the recipients. Vector control and environmental surveillance for the Aedes mosquito constitute critical pillars for sustainable prevention and control of the disease, in addition to routine immunization.
“So, I want to use this opportunity to encourage all our people to be vaccinated because it increases immunised population. Elimination of breeding sites such as uncovered water jars, old tins, bottles, among others, in addition to clearing surrounding bushes and avoiding mosquito bites through the use of nets and appropriate insect repellants, will enable us to contain the breeding of mosquitoes in our environment,” the Governor said.
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As it is consistent with Okowa who is fondly called Ekwueme for running an inclusive government, the Governor appealed to traditional rulers and political leaders to ensure that their people are mobilised for the the Yellow Fever vaccination to limit outbreak in their domains, while also acknowledging the tremendous support of various partners, especially National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Rotary Club, Nigeria Red Cross and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs).
The Governor admonished Deltans to take responsibility for their personal and communal-health and support government initiatives, interventions and programmes to achieve optimal health in line with his administration’s determination to achieve Universal Health Coverage through the stronger Delta agenda.
The Governor added, “Health workers will be setting up vaccination posts in various public places in the communities to ensure adequate coverage. I count on the support of our royal fathers, traditional leaders, religious and opinion leaders in the engagement and mobilization of eligible groups to embrace this vaccination. It is instructive to note that this type of mass vaccination campaign for Yellow Fever prevention occurs only rarely as it confers lifelong immunity; hence we should endeavour to utilize the opportunity maximally to protect ourselves against the disease.
“Let me use this opportunity to commend health workers who have shown much empathy and commitment to their duties as in the containment of the Yellow Fever outbreak in Ika North East LGA in addition to the COVID-19 pandemic in the state. The same sense of duty and commitment is expected of you in this preventive Yellow Fever vaccination and in your other official duties across the state.”
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Meanwhile, jubilant beneficiaries of the yellow fever vaccine are full of praise for the Governor who they said never gets tired of looking out for their safety and well-being.
One of the beneficiaries, a petty trader who stays at Infant Jesus avenue, Asaba, Franca Ibezim expressed happiness with the flag-off of the vaccination exercise noting that, she will no longer worry about herself and her family getting infected with the disease.
“The governor has done well to bring vaccination for yellow fever to our doorstep. For very long, I have been thinking how to get myself and my family vaccinated, but the cost always discouraged me,” she said. “I am grateful to the governor who tirelessly cares for the safety of his people.”
Collins Agwam writes from Asaba.
agwamcollins@gmail.com
