By Amaka Okafor
Rotary Club of Nigeria, District 9142 Abakaliki Ebonyi state has pledged adequate support to end all vaccine preventable diseases in Ebonyi state.
Rtn Timothy Nwite the State Polio Representative for Zone 22 gave the assurance in Abakaliki on Wednesday while briefing Journalists on efforts of the organization in combating different types of vaccine preventable diseases especially Polio .
Nwite urged parents and caregivers in Ebonyi State to ensure that all children below the age of five receive all the necessary vaccines especially polio vaccine to protect them against the debilitating diseases.
He disclosed that Rotary club has embarked on so many projects which include donation of drugs and equipments to primary health centers as well as erecting of billboards at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Udensi Roundabout bearing Rotary awareness messages among other projects.
Nwite expressed concern that polio, despite being preventable through vaccination, had destroyed the dreams and future of many children. He urged political, religious and traditional leaders to take responsibility by encouraging their subjects to receive the recommended vaccines at primary healthcare centres across the state.
“This campaign is part of the club’s efforts to eradicate all vaccine preventable diseases especially polio and protect children from the diseases devastating consequences.
“All parents and caregivers must cooperate with health authorities to ensure that no eligible child is left unvaccinated,” Nwite encouraged..
On his part,the Assistant Governor of Rotary International, Zone 22, Dennis Chime-Nganga, called on the government to ensure the consistent availability of polio vaccines to sustain efforts towards eradicating the disease.
Chime-Nganga stressed the need for continued collaboration between government, healthcare providers, community leaders and organisations to protect children against polio and support the global goal of ending the disease.
Also speaking, the Ebonyi State Epidemiologist, Dr Ogbonna Nwambekee, called on the newly elected LGA chairmen in the state to prioritize health of their people because health is wealth.
The Rotary Club reaffirmed its commitment to sustained public enlightenment and community mobilisation, urging parents and caregivers to take children aged zero to five years to designated health facilities for vaccination as part of collective efforts to achieve a polio-free Ebonyi State and contribute to global eradication efforts by 2030.