As part of efforts to scale up immunisation activities in the Federal Capital Territory, and reach every community during the upcoming supplemental immunisation activities, the FCT Primary Health Care Board in collaboration with UNICEF organised a media orientation for journalists in the Territory.The aim of the orientation was to sensitise the media and seek their support in enlightening the public to assess the services to be provided during the immunisation exercise.
Addressing the journalists at the event, the Acting Executive Secretary of the FCT Primary health care board Dr Ruqqaya Wamakko urged journalists to use their channels to spread the news to residents of the FCT. She pointed out and emphasised the power of the media and asked media practitioners to assist the board in ensuring that importance of immunisation for children is spread widely within the FCT and beyond.
Wamakko further said that the future of children needs to be secured by ensuring that they are safe from vaccine preventable diseases and advised parents and caregivers to avail their children of the opportunity of being vaccinated during the exercise.
Also speaking at the event, the UNICEF Social and behavioural change officer Country office, Mrs Margret Shoyemi further highlighted the need for children to be fully immunised against child killer diseases and charged media practitioners to treat health issues as humanitarian affair and be given all the needed attention.
The Acting Immunisation officer of the FCT, Dr Nicholas Okoli while presenting the overview of the planned immunisation activities said that the supplemental immunisation activities would commence on the 26th of October to the 2nd of November 2024.
During the exercise, Okoli said that children of 9months to 57 months will receive Measles vaccines, children of 0-59 months will be given the Oral polio vaccine (OPV) Girls of 9-14 years will be administered the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccine to prevent Cervical cancer and ladies of 15-49 years (child bearing age) will receive Tetanus Diphtheria (TD) Vaccine and children of 0-23 months will be given the Routine Immunisation (RI) Vaccines.
To ensure that a successful supplemental immunisation is achieved, the Wamakko led FCT primary health care Board engaged several relevant stakeholders such as traditional institutions, Religious leaders, Teachers and school proprietors.
It is worth noting that these stakeholders including the Media have all pledged their support and assistance towards a successful exercise .It is therefore widely believed that that FCT would achieve it’s target coverage.
