By Tracy Ohovwore
The Edo State Government, through its Primary Health Care Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and other stakeholders, has commenced the second round of the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) campaign at Ugbekun Primary Health Care Centre in Benin City.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, the Coordinator of the Office of the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, commended mothers who brought their children for immunization and emphasized the importance of utilizing the free healthcare opportunity to secure their children’s well-being. She highlighted that immunization plays a crucial role in preventing polio, a disease that can cause permanent paralysis.
Mrs. Anani praised the investments made by the Senator Okpebholo-led administration in the health sector and reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the health of mothers and children. She described children as future leaders and stressed the importance of ensuring they grow into healthy individuals. She explained that the oral polio vaccine is safe, causes no fever or side effects, and is essential for building a disease-free future.
She also sensitized mothers about the ongoing diphtheria outbreak, pointing out its symptoms and urging them to maintain proper hygiene, including handwashing for their babies, and to take advantage of the free vaccination being offered.
In his remarks, the Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Adams Oshiomhole, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Stanley Ehiarimwian, explained that the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 to be administered during the campaign is a more effective version recommended by both the WHO and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). He noted that children under the age of five will receive two drops of the vaccine to help eradicate the virus, reduce childhood illnesses, and prevent avoidable deaths.
Also speaking, the State Coordinator of WHO, Dr. Nora Eyo, emphasized the urgent need to eliminate all forms of poliovirus, including the circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2). She called on parents, guardians, and caregivers to fully cooperate with the vaccination teams who, beginning Saturday, June 28, 2025, will be visiting homes, schools, churches, mosques, markets, and designated primary healthcare centres.
She encouraged families to welcome the vaccination teams and ensure their children aged 0 to 5 years receive the oral polio vaccine. Dr. Eyo also urged parents to bring their children’s vaccination cards to their nearest primary healthcare centres, noting that the campaign presents an opportunity to receive other routine vaccines that may have been missed.
