By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja – The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Development Board says it is targeting 816,978 children for June round of immunisation against polio in the territory.
The Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, disclosed this at the official flag off ceremony in Abuja on Friday.
Mohammed explained that efforts have been put in place to ensure that all the targeted children were reached during the exercise.
He said the vaccination would commence on June 30 and end by July 3, while the vaccination would take place simultaneously in the six area councils of FCT.
According to him, this exercise will concentrate more on IDPs camps and some slums in the territory.
The scribe warned that this administration would not condone rejection of vaccines by parents as all efforts have been put in place to ensure a hitch free vaccination.
“The Minister has made it clear that anyone who is not ready to accept vaccines for their children should leave the territory.
“No any case of polio in FCT since May 2015 and we will not want anybody that will expose us to such by rejecting the immunisation,” he said.
The Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat in the FCTA, Mrs Amanda Pam, said that the present administration had done well in the interruption of transmission of the wild polio virus.
Represented by Dr Evan Onyekere, the Director, Medical and Diagnostic Department, Pam said that the FCTA had expanded immunisation services to unreached populations such as IDPs camps, nomadic settlements and slums.
She enjoined the chairmen of the area councils to take up the challenge and be part of the polio end game.
“I urge the chairmen to be personally involved in supporting polio eradication and routine immunisation activities,” she said.
(NAN)