Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, Bayelsa State Governor, has called on traditional and religious leaders to join in the fight against measles by sustaining the mobilisation of their people especially women to get their children vaccinated.
Dickson made the call in Yenagoa, while flagging off the 2018 national measles vaccination campaign in Bayelsa, saying if the call is heeded to, there will be a high rate of preventable deaths among children in the state.
Represented by the Head of the state civil service, Rev. Thomas Zidafamo, the governor said it is worrisome that measles accounts for one of the leading causes of death among children that are less than five years of age.
He stated that as a government, they have declared war on the disease and vowed to ensure the success of the exercise in order to kick measles out of the state through short, medium and long term means.
“The life of every child matters to us. Considering how deadly measles is, we want local council authorities, traditional and religious leaders as well as other stakeholders to join hands with us so we can flush it away.
“Let me use this opportunity to tell our mothers to bring their children for vaccination to prevent them from measles. I assure you that the vaccines are safe, effective and free so no cause for worry,” he said.
The governor also called on health workers to see the campaign as a responsibility of saving lives and give it all the seriousness that it deserves by performing their duties effectively.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu, said they are very prepared to prosecute the campaign in all health centers, schools, markets, churches and other public places.
According to the Health Commissioner, an operation room with internet facility, modern equipments and other instruments have been set up for the sole purpose of the campaign against measles which he described as a very devastating disease.
He thanked Governor Dickson for the prompt remittance of the counterpart fund as stipulated by the National Technical Coordinating Committee, an action which he said drew accolades from national and international organisations.
Etebu maintained that with the commitment of the government and the determination of the state health team, the highly infectious viral illness will not have any place in Bayelsa.
In their separate remarks, the Commissioners for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, and that of Education, Jonathan Obuebite, enjoined all parents to present their children for immunisation and secure their future from measles.