Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has flagged off the state’s Second Phase Outbreak Response (OBR) for Circulating Vaccine-Derived Polio Virus Type 2.
The flag-off ceremony, which was held at Eyaen Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC), Benin City, Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State, was to kick-start a coordinated response to routine immunisation.
Shaibu expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Health, agencies and their partners in the state, the World Health Organisation (WHO), National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), and Africa Centres for Disease Control, among others, for their support towards improving health care in the state.
He hailed mothers in the state for their courage in bringing their children for routine immunization and urged those yet to take the Covid-19 vaccine to do so for their safety.
On her part, the Executive Secretary, Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, (EDSPHCDA), Dr. Mrs. Julie Erhabor, who was represented by the Director, Disease and Control (EDSPHCDA), Dr. Daniel Odekina stated that the campaign, ‘Let us help keep polio at zero!’ was designed to eradicate Circulating Vaccine-Derived Polio Virus Type 2 among children to reduce childhood illnesses and death.
She explained that the novel oral polio vaccine (noPV2) is the modified version of the moPV that had been used in previous years.
The exercise is targeted at children aged 0-59months (0-5 years of age), who will be given two drops of the novel polio vaccine together with other due routine vaccines.
Erhabor encouraged healthcare workers, community leaders and other opinion leaders to support the campaign to ensure its success.
