Council targets 30, 814 children for measles immunisation

The five-day immunisation exercise for children against measles in Irepodun Local Government area of Kwara is targeted at 30, 814 children, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The Local Immunisation Officer, Mr Samuel Buoye, disclosed this on Sunday to NAN in Omu-Aran, the headquarters of the council.

Buoye said the exercise, which started on Saturday in the 66 units across the 11 wards of the council, was for children from nine months to five years.

He said that measles still remained prevalent among children as thousands were dying from the disease, especially in the remote communities.

He urged parents, traditional rulers and religious leaders to give necessary support to ensure that every eligible child benefited from the exercise.

``To be fully protected against measles, it is important that children from nine months to five years of age are vaccinated at least twice with the vaccines.

``To avoid measles outbreak, children in every village and community should receive routine vaccinations before the age of one year,” he said.

Buoye, who described measles as capable of reducing a child’s ability to fight other diseases, gave the symptoms of the disease as high fever, redness of the eyes, running nose and body rashes.

He pledged the readiness of the council to meet the set target, saying that the council was equipped with adequate vaccines and personnel for the exercise.

Buoye listed some challenges of the exercise to include poor electricity supply to freeze the icepack to cool the vaccines as well as the difficulty in locating Fulani settlers in remote areas.

He also decried inadequate facilities given to town criers engaged to sensitise residents for the success of the exercise.