By Uzo Ugwunze
Educators as major influencers have been urged to join advocacy for complete immunization of children as Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHDA) commences the 2nd round of Big Catch-up Routine immunization in the 9 LGAs of Anambra State which recorded low percentage of immunization coverage compared to the population of children within that locality.
Speaking during the education stakeholders meeting for 2nd Round Big Catch-up February 2025 at the Idemili North Local Government Area INLGA Secretariat, Ogidi, the LG Health Educator, Mrs OkpalaNwankwo Chinememma Ukamaka reminded teachers that their profession had placed them in a respectable position where people look up to them for guidance.
“Teachers are the personalities we can use to penetrate our parents because you are Stakeholders in the community trusted by parents and children. Sometimes, children tend to believe what their teachers tell them more than what their parents say.
“Of course, Teachers cannot be part of the misinformed undecided parents who refuse immunization of their children because of false information peddled by social media content creators who make money by telling the unsuspecting public that vaccines have been pushed into the continent by the White-men to depopulate Africans
“Help us to talk to the children and parents on the need to take up all types of immunization to boost their immune systems for prevention from diseases. You can invite the care givers or mothers to come with their children’s immunization card and ask them to what extent has the child been immunized. Remember that the method to be used in this Big Catch-up Routine Immunization include Identification, Enumeration and Vaccination,” said Mrs OkpalaNwankwo.
Earlier in her opening remarks, the INLGA PHC Director, Mrs Chinwe Okeke said that the reason for Big Catch Up Routine Immunization Campaign was to ensure that children who were not immunized or who skipped some routine immunization were immunized.
“Help us tell parents that our health workers will be at our PHC facilities, near markets, churches, schools, .block Rosary centers. Caregivers or parents should bring out their children from 0 to 59 months who are not fully immunized or not immunized at all for immunization.
“This second phase of the Big Catch Up Routine Immunization will cover Penta 1&2 doses, PCV, two doses of IPV and polio vaccine, including other normal routine immunization vaccines,” said Mrs Okeke.
Moreso, the he duo of Mrs Truth Ezeudoye (State Technical Assistant, Integrated Disease Surveillance & Response, World Health Organization) and Mrs Vivian UcheAnebonam ( State Technical facilitator Idemili North) assured the teachers that all vaccines administered in the country during immunization were safe, effective and free saying that the reason for the engagement meeting with education Stakeholders was because most children to be immunized were mostly Children of school age under their care.
