From Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
It was a successful outing on Monday at Kaiama in Kolokuma/Opukuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State as the residents release their children for Immunization.
The National Immunization Plus Days which was to vaccinate all children under 5 years with Oral Polio vaccines started on the 28th of June to Ist of July 2025 across the eight (8) local government areas of the state.
The vaccination’s occurred in all the Health Facilities, House Holds, Schools, Churches, Market places amongst others with the theme: Let’s Keep Polio At Zero! “Get your child protected, Get your child vaccinated”.
The excercise which was monitored by our correspondent under the auspices of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) went round the community to see the level of compliance.
Speaking during the Bayelsa State Primary Health Care Board Room NIPDs Feedback Day 3 at the World Health Organisation Conference room at the Ministry of Health building, Dr. Eghe Abe, Health Specialist, UNICEF Field Office Port Harcourt said, they were impressed with the outcome of the excercise.
According to him, though the e-tally have some challenges because some of the field workers do not have android phone while some don’t know how to use it, saying they have to teach them.
Dr Abe who was part of UNICEF monitoring team said they move from house to house and the children they saw were all vaccinated. “It means the teams are doing a good job. We were there last round and we are also there now to witnessed it, their is a lot of improvement. We can say it’s because of the level of leadership showing in the state that make us get the results we are getting. We need to commend the state, I think we are doing well”.
“We are to concentrate on the areas we are not getting it right so that we can improve on it. UNICEF and other partners are working round the clock to make sure the NIPDs program succeed in the state. No child have any reason to have polio because the level of awareness created for parents to immunize their children was high, we will not rest until every child is immunized in the state”.
Speaking during our findings, one of the team members, a Recorder for the NIPDs who is also a Community Health Officer, Igbunu Undunimibofa said, the response from the community was good and encouraging. Saying people are complying except for few ones who read different meanings to the immunization program. “The Local government and state were able to resolved some of the few complains and religious belief on the non compliance issue”.
In her response, the Ward Focal Person in Kaiama Local government covering Kaiama/Oloibiri (ward 5) Inemotimi Sampou complained about the challenges they face from parents.
“This time around,we face challenges from parents because some of them said they are not comfortable with the vaccine program. While some said they want to depopulate Nigeria by given the vaccines to girl child so that they will not have children in future. But we were able to convinced them that it is for the good of their children. UNICEF and there partners in conjunction with the Ministry of Health through the Primary Health Care Board cannot bring something they know is dangerous to human existence.
“We made them to understand that UNICEF and there partners are doing this to safe guide the health of the children in future so that they will not have polio and other diseases that affect children at tender stage. So we were able to resolve most of the complaints. We tell them the importance of the vaccines and where it is coming from and after much talk, they agreed that their children should take the vaccines”.
In his response, the Executive Secretary of Bayelsa Primary Health Care Board Dr. Appah Williams said the activities went on very well in the this second round.
According to him, they did well in the last campaign, saying right now there is much improvement. “We try to close the loose end we discovered in the last campaign. Our publicity,our awareness campaign, our communications were excellent this time. We only have pocket of few persons that can say they are not are aware, but the awareness is not zero it’s the level of awareness that might not be massive in those areas”.
“We did a lot of campaigns for this program, we did road show in Yenagoa the state capital. The Bayelsa Bikers Club join us, we have that advocacy and publicity from Igbogene to secretariat, I think that is massive enough. I think we have an improved vaccinations NIPDS and the deputy governor is standing in commitment in ensuring that no child is left behind in the process. And also other vaccines and other antigen were carried along during the campaign.
“We did very well. My message to those that refused their child from taken the vaccines is that they should not get too emotional about the future of their child. Let’s put fact on the table and see how we can help. If you dodge this immunization and your child have polio in the future, will you be happy about it, the vaccines will not hurt, it’s safe. You cannot be too protective of your child”.
Dr. Appah further said, the government of the day including the federal government and all the partners have put in a lot of resources and energy to making sure that this children are protected and are safe. “Now that the vaccines is available and it’s free, let us make use of the opportunity and kick Polio out of our society. Vaccines have eradicated smallpox, vaccines held ebola to a standstill, vaccines have held down monkeypox till this time. So let’s do the same thing with Polio”.
“And to the partners that supported this campaign from WHO, UNICEF, GAVI and others. I say thank you for the push, for the support and I say thank you all”.
