By Iduozee Paul, Benin
As a result of the great fear brought by the covid-19 pandemic, some health experts in medical profession have begged the nursing mothers to come out to immunize their children against all forms of diseases, in Edo state.
Speaking in a one day Media Orientation on Social Mobilization and Demand Creation for Routine Immunization and other Primary Health Centres Services and COVID-19, organized by Edo State
Primary Health Care Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), the Edo State Immunization Officer, Dr. (Mrs.) Adesuwa Agbonkina, appealed to the nursing mothers to immunize their children in various Primary Healthcare Centres.
Dr. Agbonkina, said because of the recent outbreak of corona virus that most nursing mothers have refused to come to hospitals to immunize their children. She said the reason of the event is to seek for the mass media partnership and support to disseminate the information to the people.
Dr. Agbonkina who is WHO representative at the occasion asserted that the media is a key to inform and educate the people.
She said the vaccines are free that anybody that tell them to pay fund should be reported to the right authority with their Immunization cards.
Commenting on the aims and objectives of the event, the State Health Educator of the agency, Dr. Irene Uabor explained that, is to enlist the media support for effective health communication and promotion, to explored the use of mass media for effective health communication, to addressed the risk communication during covid-19.
Uabor said: ” every body is talking about covid-19, but we should not forget other diseases that came before covid-19 pandemic. Especially, vaccines preventable diseases like; milisies, yellow fever, malaria and all. The reports reaching us is that our parents and health care givers do not attend clinics and PHC any more, as they use to do because of the covid-19 pandemic.”
“This is not suppose to be, we are here to let them know that despite covid-19 in taking precautionary measures like face mask, hand washing and others. They should not forget their routine immunization and reproductive health, nutrition and all PHC activities that hold in the health care centres.”
“You being here is to help us to spread the message.” You are aware that immunization is the key to prevent these diseases. There is no covid-19 pandemic vaccine, they should not be afraid to come with their immunization cards. ”
Emphasizing on the need for the nursing mothers to immunize their children, the Executive Secretary of the (EDSPHCDA), Dr. (Mrs.) Julie Erhabor, said the media play a vital keys roles in spreading the message to the people.
Dr. Erhabor in her goodwill remarks advised every nursing mothers to vaccinate their children against every diseases; like Missiles, malaria, HIV/AiDs, hypertension and other illnesses.
” so, after the outbreak of covid-19, we are experiencing other outbreaks, which is not good for us. That is why we passing the message. It comes from the monthly reports from the immunization activities at different health centres that we received. ”
” when I say red, it means there is a kind of landmark cut off in the table diagram. We have certain percentage. Red means their performance is poor, Green is good. When we look at different immunization stage just as we talked about. ”
” Some of them are not doing well at all. They are getting to the red mark which is the performance is poor. We are not afraid, it may get to the point of outbreak. Presently, we do not have any outbreak, but we have to be proactive not to get to the point of outbreak, ” she said.
Advising parents on the need for Family Planning/Child Spacing, Mrs. Adja Abieyuwa, said family planning is a plan to prevent unwanted pregnancy and for both couples to choose the numbers of children they need.
Abieyuwa’s disclosed that family planning aid to fight against all forms of illnesses and prevent nursing mothers from various infection.