Jude Chinedu, Enugu
As part of measures to arrest the outbreak of yellow fever in some parts of the state, Enugu State government has commenced massive immunisation campaign targeted at one million residents in three local government areas.
Executive Secretary of Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA), Dr. George Ugwu, who disclosed this in Enugu said the council areas included Igboeze North, 333,551 residents; Nsukka,398,094 residents and Isi-Uzo,190,818 residents, representing 85 per cent of the population.
Ugwu said that after ongoing massive vaccination in the affected council areas, there would be escalation of mass vaccination to about 10 neighbouring council areas, before the entire state yellow fever vaccination would come.
“There is no need to panic or send the wrong information; the government is in control of yellow fever outbreak clinically and has taken right and appropriate steps to see that our people are protected.
“Already, the agency has continued to engage in robust community mobilisation, sensitisation, health education and promotion.
“We have adequate supplies of yellow fever vaccines and accessories to all health facilities and outreach centres as well as properly trained, oriented and deployed all cadres of health workers and teams.
“We are also doing mass reactive vaccination for eligible and most susceptible persons aged nine months to 44 years as well as monitoring and reporting the outbreak response activities in the council areas.”