Ekiti govt, UNICEF to immunize 2m against yellow fever

Ekiti State and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are to immunize two million persons against yellow fever to protect the population from the scourge.

The ages vulnerable to the disease were put at nine months to 44 years, representing 85 per cent of the 2.3m Ekiti population.

The exercise will hold between January 24 and February 2, 2020.

A World Health Organization (WHO) State Technical Officer, Ekiti State, Mr Ayomide Aibinuomo, described yellow fever as a killer disease that had claimed the lives of many people in the country, though with low level of spread in the South.

Aibunuomo, who spoke on Saturday in Ado Ekiti during a seminar organised for stakeholders to work out modalities for the 10-day vaccination programme, said the introduction of the intra-muscular vaccination became expedient following 24 suspected incidences recorded in the last few years.

The WHO expert disclosed that available statistics indicated that six confirmed cases were recorded out of 18 suspected cases of yellow fever attacks in 2018, while six were recorded in 2019.

“Though there might not be any suspected case in 2020, we still have to, with the suspected cases recorded in the neighbouring states of Ondo, Oyo, Osun and Edo, take proactive measures because the Ekiti people have a high level of migration.

“The vaccine has no adverse effect. It is free and can be taken by anybody except those with immuno-compromised cases like HIV. Pregnant persons and nine to 44 years are the most vulnerable and that is why they are the target,” he said.

Aibinuomo stated that to aid sensitization across the state, 177 ward mobilisers sponsored by the state government and 85 town announcers had been hired to complement the awareness being produced by the traditional media.

Also speaking on the expediency of sensitization,  a health officer at the Ekiti State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Mrs A. A. Ajayi, said health workers would ensure that all the vulnerable citizens  were captured in the exercise.