…to commence immunization next month
The Federal government to commence the immunization of children under the age of five years against measles next month.
The immunization Programme, which is in two phases, is expected to gulp $45.4 million (N9.9billion).
About 39.4million Children between the ages of nine months and five years are expected to be immunized in the exercise that will commence on the 21st November, 2015 in the nineteen northern states of the country, including Abuja. The second phase is expected to come up between January 28th and February 1st 2016.
Measles is among the killer disease among under age children, with 145, 000 death globally and 400 deaths every day. Currently, Nigeria is rated third highest burden of measles in Africa, with over 9,000 reported cases.
According to National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the country is in dire need of $45.4 million (about N9.9billion) to immunize the over 39 million children between the ages of nine months and five years.
Speaking on Monday, Director, Disease Control and Immunization, NPHCDA, Dr. Damaris Onwuka said the required vaccines for the immnization programmes were expected in the country Monday 19th October.
She also revealed that large chunk of the fund would be coming from the development partners, $41.8million while federal and states government would cough out $3.7million.
Currently, 12,651 cases of measles was reported in the last one year, while 7,535 cases were confirmed.
She further revealed that as part of the efforts to eliminate the disease in the country, that the country is set a target of 95 % immunization coverage in line with the 2020 global measles elimination target.
Onwuka said the country’s goal is to reduce incidence of the disease to less than five cases per million.
The plan to achieve the set goal, according to her include 90% immunization coverage in all the Local Government Areas of the country.
Speaking on the coming immunization exercise, which has been phased, she said it is meant to give opportunity to those who have missed out in previous immunization exercise.
-FRONTIERS NEWS
