Anambra state Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, says his administration targets one hundred per cent immunization coverage of the state before the end of his tenure in March 17 2014.
He was speaking during the October flag off of routine immunization plus days for children under five years at Ebenebe, Awka north local government area of Anambra state, where about 100 children were immunized, a sure way of improving their lot as part of health intervention by the state government, in an agrarian community with a projected population of 136,622 people for 2013 records and is said to be one of the poorest communities in Anambra state.
Dider Gbofeyin, the state representative of UNICEF revealed that Anambra state has recorded over 95 per cent immunization coverage in polio but decried the poor tetanus immunization by pregnant women in the area.
The routine immunization programme aims at protecting over 27,300 children less than five years of age from the polio disease in the local government area and the number represents over twenty five per cent of the population in Awka north local council area.
In his remarks, Dr. Lawrence Ikeakor, who is the State Commissioner for Health, says the state is ready to maintain its six-year polio free status while announcing the upgrade of twelve general hospitals in the state.
Governor Obi’s resolve to leave lingering memories in the minds of Anambra indigenes is what he has extended to the health sector when he stated that in spite of the present wide and comprehensive coverage so far achieved, his government was still determined to scale up further its polio vaccination drive in the state.
