by crossriverwatch admin
Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has urged health workers not to relent in their efforts to ensure the State achieves the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4, 5, and 6 targets.
Imoke stated this while launching the Pentavalent Vaccine during the ongoing immunization exercise at Primary Health Centre, Ikot Ansa, Calabar Municipality, saying that the exercise meant that the vaccine which is taken once, is a big advantage in health care.
The governor said the vaccine should be translated into improved health care as well as significant reduction in infant mortality to create a wealthy and healthy population as the state is determined to add value to lives with the focus of developing its citizens, emphasizing that a child who is healthy will grow up to contribute to the wealth of the society.
He advised that the program should not be taken for granted as he was excited that traditional rulers, local government chairmen and development partners have continued to support the immunization exercise in the state and he commended the Ministry of Health officials in their efforts to reduce child mortality by ensuring the needed change is carried out while lauding mothers for coming out with their children to ensure they do not die.
Imoke reasoned that half of the illness contacted by children could be avoided if they were given vaccines because they need prevention and he urged mothers to call on their contemporaries to participate in the exercise to ensure early child death is gone in the state.
The governor disclosed that government is working tremendously with the traditional institution, ministry of health, local government councils and donor partners to make vaccines available to children and therefore enjoined nursing mothers to report absentee health officers to the appropriate quarters for not being present to deliver immunization at their duty posts.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. (Mrs.) Angela Oyo-Ita in a welcome address, explained that the pentavalent or five-in-one vaccine of Hib-DPT-Hepatitis B is one injection that protects against five diseases in children.
Oyo-Ita therefore urged mothers to bring out their children for immunization because it is an activity that cannot be stopped by any event as it has culminated in the state winning an international award in its effort to curb infant mortality.
She said the ministry will continue to supply the vaccines through the support of local government councils, traditional rulers and donor partners and commended women for turning out to participate in the immunization exercises.
Goodwill messages were delivered by donor partners, who commended the state for creating tremendous impact in the fight against early child death through a well implemented immunization exercise.
Chairman of Calabar Municipality, Mr. Eta Mbora, commended the state government’s effort in the immunization program which has thereby created a track record while pledging that the council will always continue to partner the state to ensure effective participation.
Mbora promised to create a well coordinated information awareness for the program to record its expected success.
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