By Muslimat Itopa
Journalists has been charged to use every platform to campaign against preventable diseases.
The Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency Doctor Ifyinwa Ani-Osheku gave the Charge at a Zonal Meeting ahead of the 2024 Integrated Measles Campaign organised by the United Nations Children’s finances (UNICEF) and National Orientation Agency, in Enugu.
Ahead of the 2024 Integrated measles Campaign across states including Kogi, Benue,Cross River, Anambra, and Enugu States, Health Experts harps on the role of Media in changing the negative perception of the people towards measles and other preventable diseases vaccinations.
The Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency Doctor Ifyinwa Ani-Osheku said the media should use every available platform as a tool to compliment the efforts of Health Stakeholders to campaign against measles in the country.
She appealed to journalist to write stories and produce jingles that will encourage parents to bring their children from age nine months to Fifty nine months for the vaccines which is safe and very effective in saving their ward.
Doctor Ani-Usheku noted that maternal impunity is transferred during gestation through the placenta in the first weeks of life saying children needs routine immunisation to fight conditions and stay healthy when maternal impunity wears off.
She called on the the state Health Educators to give information, data and engage the media to ensure harmonious reportage of the measles crusade, produce mindfulness and encourage vaccine intake .
The Health Educator, Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mr Momoh Shittu said the state had concluded plans to commence the integrated measles vaccination crusade on the Twenty Sixth of this month across the twenty one Local Government Areas and Two Hundred and Thirty Nine Wards saying Kogi is targeting over Seven hundred thousand children for the vaccines.
He explained that arrangement has been concluded with the support of the state government and Health Partners to get across to hard to reach areas for a smooth exercise.
Mr Shittu said Kogi State has received over Eight Hundred thousand doses of the vaccines and appealed to parents to bring their children between the ages of Nine months to Fifty nine months for the measles vaccinations .
Earlier, Representative from UNICEF Doctor Hilary Ozoh, noted that the measles vaccination was targeted at children from nine to 59 months of age, as well as eligible children irrespective of previous vaccination history.
Ozoh said the media was critical to achieving the national target of 95 per cent coverage during the vaccination campaign and urged the media to write data-based stories to educate and enlighten Nigerians on the measles campaign to ultimately improve health services in the state.
The meeting was attended by partners from UNICEF, Media Professionals, Officials from the Advocacy and Communication Unit of the Primary Health Care centers from Five States including Kogi, Anambra, Enugu, Benue and Cross River States.
