Turnout For Measles, HPV/Non-Polio Vaccination Encouraging In Ondo – UNICEF

AKURE – The ongoing Measles, HPV/Non-Polio Supplemental immunization programme sponsored by United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has been described as a successful exercise in Ondo State.

Director, Disease Control and Immunization, Ondo State, Dr. Adefesoye Victor disclosed this on Friday while speaking with Daily Independent on telephone.

He said: “The programme began seven days ago and would be rounded off on Sunday. The turnout has been fine and cooperative except for some private schools which denied health workers access to their premises.

“The name of the schools are KPG Kiddies Schools located in Sijuade axis in Akure, and Glorious Vine Schools Imperial, Adesida Estate, Igbatoro Road, Akure.”

When our Correspondent put a call through to KPG Kiddies Schools to verify why the health workers were not allowed to vaccinate the pupils, the woman who picked the call was about answering when a man took over the phone from her. He was hostile and refused to give any reason for the refusal.

The proprietress of Glorious Vine Schools Imperial, Mrs. Kolawole explained to our correspondent that the major challenge the school’ authorities have is complaints from parents.

She said: “I am not usually in the school but the Headmaster told me that some parents were complaining that they vaccinated their children without their knowledge.

“The ones they allowed to be vaccinated, the teachers said they took permission from their parents.
There’s no problem, the only problem is complaints from parents. There’s no complaint concerning the vaccination.”

Dr. Adefesoye expressed disappointment in the dispositions of the schools, saying he didn’t expect any school or parents to prevent their pupils from getting vaccinated due to intensive sensitization programmes done through different media in the state even before the commencement of the programme on Saturday last week.

United Nations International Children Emergency Fund(UNICEF) had trained media practitioners on the vaccination programme in Oyo town ahead of the programme.

Different media practitioners through their platforms had informed the people of the state about the risk in not getting their children vaccinated.

During the training, the resource persons, including Mrs.Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole, a Social and Behaviour Change Specialist with UNICEF, emphasised that children who didn’t get vaccinated would spread the deadly disease.

Ondo State is targeting 924,119 children in the vaccination programme which will end on Sunday, October 20, 2024.