A child receiving vaccine from a health worker

FG to partner Oyo govt on integrated vaccination

The Federal Government is set to partner stakeholders in the health sector to improve access of mother and child to healthcare in Oyo State through the Federal Government’s integrated vaccination programme.

The Executive Secretary, Oyo State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Muyideen Olatunji, who disclosed this at a news conference held in Ibadan, the state capital, noted that the vaccination exercise would commence on the 20th of October, 2022.

Olatunji, who was represented by the Director of Public Health, Oyo State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Johnson Osoko, assured that the vaccines were completely safe to be administered.

He explained that the idea of including other health interventions to the vaccination exercise was strategically programmed in line with the state government’s drive to ensure qualitative health care delivery to people at the grassroots.

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The Programme Manager, Oyo State Emergency and Routine Coordination Center, Dr Adeyemi Adewole, noted that officials for the mass measles vaccination campaign had been well trained and as such there was no need for any anxiety or skepticism during the exercise, adding that there would be fixed posts and mobile points to allow for better coverage.

In Nigeria, studies show that about one in every six children dies before age five, as a result of poor access to basic and improved healthcare services.

While a lot of women in the country do not have access to healthcare at all, about 56% of women lack financial strength to access standard healthcare in the country.

Based on this, the Federal Government has decided to partner with the Oyo state Government to start what it is called integrated Vaccination, this will include vaccination for measles, polio and COVID-19 for adults across the State.

Stakeholders also want the media to help in sensitising the public through dissemination of information on the programme and the need to stay healthy.The vaccination is expected cut across the 33 local governments of Oyo State