No less than 114,102 children have been vaccinated in Imo, courtesy of an immunization campaign sponsored by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The state’s Immunization Officer, Dr Chibuzor Okoroama, disclosed this in Owerri, on Thursday, while briefing newsmen on the success rate of UNICEF’s CatchUp Immunization campaign.
Newsmen who visited four out of 16 selected council areas of the state, monitored the program’s implementation and reports that the program received wide acceptance among the locals.
The four council areas monitored were Njaba, Mbaitoli, Ngor-Okpala and Owerri North.
Okoroama, a family physician, said that the 16 council areas covered in the program represent the 65 per cent expected coverage, as directed by UNICEF.
She listed the other council areas to include Aboh Mbaise, Ezinihitte Mbaise, Ahiazu
Mbaise, Isu, Ideato North, Ideato South, Orsu, Oru East, Nkwerre and Ohaji-Egbema.
She described immunization as the easiest and fastest means to protect children from deadly diseases and urged parents to ensue prompt immunization of their children.
She said that in the course of immunization, the team located zero dose children and under-immunized children, as well as children who had never been vaccinated.
She noted that vaccines are expensive, hence the need for parents to take advantage of the free immunization provided by UNICEF to scale up their children’s immunity to diseases.
She however expressed satisfaction that despite operational challenges, the campaign was largely successful.
“ We conducted micro plan and implementation training at the state, LGA, and ward levels, which began on Dec. 10,2024 immediately after we received fund for the project on Dec. 9,2024.
“ We also used the Open Data Kit for direct transmission of information about supervision and we are glad to confirm that with all the results put together, we are able to achieve the expected 65 per cent coverage “, Okoroama said.
She thanked the local vigilante groups in the rural communities and the security agencies in the state for their support in providing security for the public health officers, especially in troubled areas.
She also thanked the UNICEF for the program and pledged the state government’s commitment to basic healthcare provision for Imo residents.
Mrs Ojiugo Mbamara, whose twin babies were immunized thanked UNICEF for the initiative and urged the Imo government not to relent in its people-friendly partnerships.
