Abudu – As the Primary Health Care (PHC) of Orhionmwon local government area set to commence the second round of Polio immunization exercises across the 12 wards in the area, the PHC Coordinator, Dr. Olaye Liberty has called on community leaders to sensitize the people to co-operate with health workers during the period to prevent incurable paralysis.

Dr. Olaye who made the call during a stakeholders meeting at the council secretariat on Wednesday at Abudu debunked insinuations that the oral polio vaccine is the same as COVID-19 vaccine, confirming the (polio) vaccine is safe.

The PHC Coordinator, represented at the meeting by local government immunization officer, Mrs Chuks Obianke said the health workers would visit homes, churches, markets, schools, mosques and places of social gathering to administer two drops of the (Oral Polio) Vaccine in the mouth of children from 1–5 years of age irrespective of their previous immunization status.

According to her, the exercise will kick off on Friday November 5th, to end Monday November 8th, as it plans to start with visit to mosques for the vaccine administration.

She cautioned against laxity in the fight against the disease, saying the vaccine to be administered prevent irreversible paralysis in children and contraction of type 2 and 3 viruses causing the polio disease for the targeted group.

Related News

Highlighting challenges encountered by health workers, she frowned at attitude of churches and schools at Abudu, administrative headquarters of the council who rejected the first round of the vaccine to be given to children which representative of the christian community promised to address.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Abudu divisional headquarters, Cosy Omon Eugene enjoined the health workers to carry along DPOs in the various police station in the area for an hitch-free immunization exercise.

Also present at the stakeholders meetings include religious leaders, heads of various security agencies, market women, community leaders and patent medicine dealers in the area.

Recall Nigeria achieved polio-free status on 18 June, and was officially declared free of the disease by World Health Organisation (WHO) on 25th August 2020, even as the body has expressed the need for Nigeria to be vigilant to prevent sudden outbreak of the disease.