By Nnedinma Okeke
Following reports of non-compliance during the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) in the state by schools within the Awka capital territory, a team from the Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA), Awka South LGA health team, together with partners: WHO, UNICEF and SOLINA paid visits to some erring schools.
Among the schools visited were; St Patrick (Udoka), Lumen Christi Montessori, Lynette Prime, Aquinas Model, Solid Rock, College of the Masters, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Nursery and Primary schools all within the Awka capital territory.
The essence of the visit was to find out reasons why the school’s Proprietors, Head Mistress and teachers had resisted the Novel Oral Polio Vaccine (nOPV2) vaccination for eligible children aged zero to 59 months in their schools.
The Executive Secretary, ASPHCDA, Pharm Chisom Uchem recalled that the NIPDs campaign commenced in the state on Saturday, June 28th to July 1st and the Ministry of Education and ASUBEB were aware of the Polio vaccination exercise whose notification letters were also given to diocese and schools across the state.
WHO South East Zonal Coordinator, Dr Chukwumuanya Igboekwu clarified that there was no negative effects to children who were mistakenly vaccinated twice with the nOPV2 as was the fears of some head mistress in schools visited.
He explained that children vaccinated in houses, markets, playground, and churches were finger marked and teams vaccinating children in schools checks the finger marking of a child before vaccinating as the aim was not to vaccinate any child twice to enable the vaccine go round to all eligible children in the State.
“The nOPV2 vaccine being used for the Polio immunization campaign protects children against type two Polio Paralysis which has reduced as a result of vaccination.
“The Polio disease is of three types; the type one- which paralyses a child, the type two- which paralyses a child, and the type three- which also paralyses a child,” he said.
He further, explained that the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) received in health facilities only protects children from the type one and type three Polio Paralysis whilst the nOPV2 used only during immunization campaigns protects against the type two Polio paralyses.
The WHO Zonal Coordinator noting that vaccination was a preventive health, said Polio paralyses has no cure as it damages the nerves permanently and as such, eligible children opportune to receive the vaccine should be given the opportunity to be vaccinated.
UNICEF Program Associate, Dr Nwamaka Chude-Onwurah noted that under the Child Right Act/Law for Anambra State, it was the constitutional right of a child to be immunised.
She noted that parents in churches, present their children to be immunised. She then, urged schools not to be an obstruction to a child’s right to immunization.
The State Health Educator, Mrs Uju Onwuegbuzina noted that the visit was spurred by messages of rejection in each school visited, whereby the school Proprietor/Head Mistress did not allow vaccination teams immunise eligible children in their schools even after receiving notification letters to inform parents of the immunization campaign.
The Head Mistress, St Patrick (Udoka) Nursery and Primary school, Awka, Mrs Stella N Asiegbu said the reason for rejection was because most of eligible children in the school were already vaccinated in their homes and churches, and as such they did not want a child to be vaccinated multiple times.
She noted that having been clarified of her fears, eligible children in the school finger markings be checked before the vaccinating teams administer vaccination.
The Principal, College of the Masters Nursery, Primary and Secondary School, Awka, Mr Mmadu Okeke urged ASPHCDA and Partners to attend Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) meetings inorder to better inform parents of immunization campaigns.
The Acting Director Medical Services, UNIZIK, Dr Eric S Iferikigwe while noting that immunization was necessary and very important, urged for timely information of the exercise to aid for an easy process.
In attendance during the visit included: WHO Consultant- Dr Eveline Nbaisi, WHO Anambra State Coordinator- Dr Bonos Mohammed, SOLINA Polio Consultant- Dr Echezona Nawfor, UNICEF Strategic and Behavioural Change Consultant (SBC)- Mr Victor James, and UNICEF Vaccine, Security and Logistics (VSL)- Mr Kabiru I Bichi.
Also present were; State Immunization Officer- Mrs Edith Onwuka, Local Immunization Officer (LIO) Awka South- Mrs Chinyere Ifeanyichukwu, Ward Focal Person Awka Ward two- Mrs Ifeoma Okafor, and WHO Awka South State Technical Facilitator (STF)- Mrs Nwanneka Adeniyi, among others.
* Okeke is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State *
