We Have Attained 76% Immunization Coverage — Ondo govt

The Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency(OSPHCDA), says the state has attained 76 per cent immunization coverage for children and pregnant women.

The Permanent Secretary of the agency, Dr Francis Akanbiemu, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Akure.

Akanbiemu explained that effective immunization had been taken as a priority by the state government, hence all hands were often on deck to ensure its success.

“Immunization coverage for children and pregnant women in Ondo State is now 76 per cent, even it was 86 per cent before COVID-19 pandemic, which made it to drop to 76.

“Ondo State is the only state to maintain this level in the South-West zone,” he stated.

The permanent secretary said that the government had not relented in ensuring that effectiveness and quality services were accomplished at the primary healthcare level.

“Our Cold Chain Store is running 24 hours without power failure and our vaccine is one of the potent vaccines in the country.

“In term of maintenance of cold chain, Ondo State remains to be beaten. Even when diesel price was high as N750, our generators did not blink. The diesel consumption is funded by the state government.

“This has made our vaccine to be at optimal level. There is no request that we take to the Governor intending for providing counterpart state funds for any federal activities that he would not honour.

“And for the Primary Health Care (PHC) authority to be able to provide effective leadership, the governor has started the expansion of this agency and there is a building in this office premises that we started and he has approved N20 million to take the building to 90 per cent level.

“He also built a state of the arts called emergency operation centre, where we now hold our meeting.

“So, Ondo State has two emergency operation centres, where people sit down on how to address and respond to outbreak,” he said.

By NNN

https://nnn.ng/have-attained-immunisation/