Yellow Fever spreads to two more localities in Benue

Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

The Benue State Government has disclosed that the Yellow Fever which had so far killed over 20 persons in Epeilo-Otukpa, Ado Local Government Area, has spread to two more localities – Okpowku and Ogbadibo.

The Supervisory Commissioner, Ministry of Health, Dr Godwin Eyiwona, disclosed this on Monday during the flag-off of vaccination against the disease held at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) square in Makurdi.

Dr Eyiwona stated that it was for that reason that the State Government is ensuring that the people are vaccinated against the disease.

‘The flag-off is to cover 20 Local Government Areas of the State, aside from the three Local Governments that were covered last year.

‘Yellow Fever was discovered in Ogbadibo Local Government Area recently and it has spread to Okpokwu and Ado LGAs. The State Government has promptly swung into action to see that people are vaccinated against the disease.’

Oyiwona reiterated the need to ensure that every person from nine months to 44 years come for vaccination.

Earlier, Governor Samuel Ortom, while flagging-off the vaccination, charged council chairmen, traditional rulers and religious organizations to join hands in the campaign to have everyone vaccinated in their domains.

Ortom who noted that the State is polio-free said that his administration, aside releasing N10million counterpart fund for logistics, had also made available the sum of N29million for the completion of the permanent site of primary health care board.

The Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Board, (SPHCB), Dr Ben Ageda, intimated that 1,586 ad hoc staff have been recruited to vaccinate over four million people in the 243 council wards of the State.

Ageda maintained that the remaining 34 wards were previously vaccinated during outbreaks adding that all COVID-19 Preventive Protocols will be observed by the vaccination team.

‘SPHCB is set to have a quality implementation of this campaign with 1586 teams to vaccinate over four million people in 243 wards of Benue State. The remaining 34 wards in Vandekiya, Ado and Oju LGA were previously vaccinated during outbreaks.

‘Benue is allocated over four million doses of yellow fever vaccines from the national cold store for the exercise and all COVID-19 preventive protocols shall be observed by vaccination teams,’ he said.

He explained further that the Strategies adopted for this campaigns is to use fixed Post Vaccination teams, Mobile teams and Extra teams to cover 4 million bundled doses of Yellow Fever Vaccines from national cold stores for the exercise.

Ageda disclosed further that the State, in collaboration with UNICEF, has distributed to each team Veronica buckets, hand sanitisers, soap and face masks.