……….. seeks media support on awareness creation
By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
Preparatory to commencement of of an Integrated Measles Vaccination in Bauchi State, the State Primary Health Care Development Board has seek the support of Journalists to project the importance of the measles vaccinations for under five children.
Executive Chairman (EC) of the SPHCDB Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed made the appeal at a Media Orientation Meeting held today in Bauchi.
Dr. Mohammed said that creating awareness by the Journalists through their various channels is key to ensuring the success of the Measles campaign.
The EC said that Measles is one of the killer diseases afflicting under five children and that the vaccination campaign is Government efforts aimed at reducing such deaths to the bearest minimum.
He said that because of the importance of the Measles Campaign, it is expected that the State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed would flag off the vaccination campaign at the State level and Local Government Chairmen and their spouses will do the same in their respective LGAs.
Dr. Mohammed disclosed that all arrangements have been completed for the commencement of the integrated Measles Vaccination exercise that would target all eligible children in schools, motor parks, places of worship, markets, tsangaya quranic schools etc.
He said all key stakeholders that includes traditional/community leaders, religious clerics, school heads, teachers and tsangaya mallam were adequately were adequately briefed on the planned campaign.
Also speaking, Dr. Adamu Mohammed, the Director disease control in the BSPHCDB said that measles is a contiguous disease that could be contacted from one child to another.
He said that some of the symptoms of measles include severe fever, flu, rashes and convulsions stressing that children who had completed their full immunization from birth rarely got afflicted with measles or any of the child killer diseases.
He called on caregivers to avail themselves by bringing their children to be vaccinated so as to protect their children from the dangers of all vaccines preventable diseases.
Our correspondent reports that the integrated measles vaccination campaign will commence on Saturday 26th October and will last for one week.