MONDAY May 5, 2025 |
By thenewsdesk.ng
The Akwa Ibom State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring access to healthcare in the State, in line with the ARISE Agenda.
The assurance was given by the Deputy Governor, Senator (Dr) Akon Eyakenyi, Monday in Uyo, during the flag-off of the National Immunisation Plus Days, organized by the Akwa Ibom State Primary Healthcare Development Agency in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and partners.
Senator Eyakenyi, who noted that the best health intervention is timely vaccination, said the goal of the exercise was the sustainable, reliable, and timely delivery of services to children within the stipulated immunization age to protect against polio and other preventable diseases. 
She assured of the determination of government towards ensuring the realization of these stated objectives.
“The goal of routine immunisation is the sustainable, reliable, and timely delivery of services to ensure every child is fully immunised against vaccine-preventable diseases.
“Polio is an infectious viral disease that leads to a significant number of deaths among children in developing countries, with complications such as paralysis and deformity, particularly in malnourished and unimmunised children.
“For the best protection against polio, WHO recommends that every child receives at least five doses of the polio vaccine through routine immunisation. Akwa Ibom State is committed to its full compliance.”
She emphasized the safety of the vaccines, saying they are administered at absolutely no cost to the beneficiaries.
“I am delighted to re-emphasize that every service received is safe, free, and very effective, and it cuts across the entire state,” She emphasized.
Senator Eyakenyi, who is also the Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Task Force on Primary Healthcare urged caregivers to take their wards, all children between 0-59 months of age, to the health facility or immunisation outreach post nearest to them for vaccination.
She stressed that the campaign, which commenced on Saturday, the 3rd, will end on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
According to her, for the exercise to succeed, all Local Government Chairmen, royal fathers and other stakeholders must be involved.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem Emmanuel John, said through vaccinations, deaths, illnesses, and lifelong diseases could be prevented, appealing to parents, caregivers, and health officers to take the task of vaccination seriously.
He assured that the government of Pastor Umo Eno would ensure no child was left behind, announcing also that the Ministry of Health was working on health sector reforms, which would ensure every family complies with the policies of government on immunization.
The event was attended by health workers, traditional rulers, children, parents, caregivers, and partners from WHO, UNICEF, and NPHCDA, among others.
