Ogun Indicates Readiness For New Polio Vaccine Implementation

THE Ogun State government has concluded arrangements for the implementation of the new polio vaccine, the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV), recently introduced by the Federal Government into to the existing immunization schedule.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, who disclosed this during a chat with newsmen in Abeokuta, emphasised the need to compliment efforts of the International Organisations and Nigerian government, to halt transmission of polio virus, particularly in the three endemic countries which are; Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.

He noted that the IPV is an injectable Vaccine that provides additional and rapid immunity that covers the three types of polio in existence, saying that the vaccine would invariably helps the children to resist the virus against life-long paralysis and death.

Soyinka said, “The newly introduced Inactivated Polio Vaccine is a progress development in the health care system and Nigeria, with the commitment of states need to interrupt the transmission of poliomyelitis”.

The commissioner remarked that it required the collective efforts of all and sundry to embrace the new development and ensure that children within the age range of 0-11 months should complete their Routine Immunization (RI) schedule, noting that at 14 weeks, children are expected to be given the IPV at health facility.

“But children less than one year of age who are behind on their immunization schedule should receive one doze of IPV at the first immunization contact after 14 weeks”, Soyinka stated.

He said the state has conducted training programmes for relevant medical/health workers in the public and private facilities across the 20 local government areas, adding that sensitisation has been done for paediatricians at the secondary and tertiary hospitals.