By Vincent Ujumadu

Health officials in Anambra State have begun a weeklong catch up programme in nine  local government areas that recorded zero immunization during the period of COVID-19.

The affected local government areas are Aguata, Idemili North, Idemili South, Nnewi South, Ihiala, Anaocha, Orumba North, Orumba South and Ayamelum.

The exercise is being funded by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, with the state government also expected to make counterpart contribution.

The State Immunization Officer, SIO,  Mrs. Edith Onwuka , while monitoring the exercise at Akwaeze in Anaocha local government and Nnokwa in Idemili South, commended nurses at the Primary Health Centers in the nine local government areas for effective mobilization of mothers, who turned out in large numbers for the catch up programme.

According to her, the catch up programme will last from December, 2024 to February, 2025, and urged mothers and local government health workers not to relent to ensure that all children are immunized within the period.

She said: “During COVID-19, many mothers did not immunize their children and that gap is what we want to bridge, with the assistance of UNICEF.

“We must endeavour to protect the children to save them from contracting communicable diseases. We discovered that some mothers have not even immunized their children for once and our target therefore are mothers who either refused to immunize their children, or failed to complete the dosage.

“UNICEF has provided the funds to ensure that every child is immunized and our expectation is that by the end of the three months catch up, every child in the nine local government areas would have been fully immunized.”

She particularly commended the people of Akwaeze for their large turnout, expressing delight that over 12,517 children have so far been immunized in the area since the commencement of the catch up programme.

The Ward Development Chairman for Akwaeze, Lady Victoria Ezekwe, said the large turnout was an indication that many mothers have not immunized their children at all.

“We had to go from house to house to bring out mothers and their children for this exercise. We discovered that many mothers know what immunization is, but they have no time for it.

“However, through outreach, we were able to mobilize them and we are happy that the exercise is recording a huge success,” she said.

A mother who brought her three children for immunization at Nnokwa, Idemili South, Mrs. Amaka Egwuonwu , commended UNICEF for coming to their aide.

She said that she had consistently been immunizing her children, and encouraged mothers to see the need to immunize their children without default.