By Nnedinma Okeke :
The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), through the Department of Advocacy and Communication (DAC) with funding support from Gavi and other partners has sensitized State Health Educators (SHEs), Traditional and Religious leaders together with the Media on the 2024 integrated Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs).
The 2024 integrated SIAs aimed at addressing Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) immunity gaps in the population.
Its Objectives were to achieve 95% vaccination coverage for Measles/ Polio, and 80% coverage for Yellow Fever (YF), provide a second opportunity to receive Measles and YF vaccination in eligible children and a first opportunity for YF vaccines in older populations.
Others are; to achieve >85% coverage of zero-dose children in the Zero dose LGAs and to use opportunities provided by the campaign to strengthen the health systems.
The 26 SIAs implementing States includes: Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, FCT, Gombe, Jigawa, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Yobe, and Zamfara.
The States were appreciated for their teams’ commitments in implementing PHC interventions, especially immunization activities to improve coverage in their respective states.
The Director, Advocacy and Communication Department, NPHCDA, Dr Ladan Aliyu, urged the stakeholders to contribute toward generating demand for the integrated SIAs campaigns which includes Measles and Yellow Fever in some states with integration of Polio and Routine Immunization (RI).
He urged for the Media’s continued support in ensuring that the population get right informations about the campaigns.
In a communique signed by NPHCDA and Media Representatives; the Media appreciated the need for SIAs in the implementing states, commended NPHCDA and Partners for the campaign whilst supporting the strategy for the campaign as outlined by NPHCDA and her partners.
They emphasized that advocacy and effective information dissemination would contribute toward attaining good coverage during campaigns, recommending that NPHCDA conduct advocacy with support and in collaboration with key stakeholders.
Also, to ensure timely and accurate dissemination of information to support communication and social mobilisation for all groups, provide adequate personnel for the campaigns, and support training and capacity building for relevant stakeholders.
Other recommendations were to promote injection safety, quality, and timely response to all Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) cases that may arise, ensure adequate plans for disposal of waste during the campaigns, and endorse/implement recommendations from lessons learnt from previous campaigns for improved program management.
The Media representatives, however, retirate its commitment to supporting integrated SIAs efforts in recognising the critical role of vaccination in preventing and controlling vaccine-preventable diseases.
They urged all stakeholders, including the Media to; amplify messages on the importance of vaccination, disseminate accurate and timely information on SIAs schedules/locations, and support efforts to address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation.
*Nnedinma is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
