By Citizenship Daily
Over 88, 770 children have been vaccinated against Polio in Guma Local Government area of Benue State.
The Local government Immunization Officer Adega Aondo Ade who disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday said this feat was achieved within 3 days as part of the World Immunization Week celebration.
He said this was made possible through the intervention of United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF who provided large quantity of the vaccines to the area
There was massive turn out of mothers who presented their children below the age of 5 to be immunized during the exercise. 
Mrs Nancy Amindi, Director Local Government Health Authority, Daudu Guma LGA said the World Immunization Day is a week they also, observe the National Immunization Plus Day, NIPD.
She said, “so we have been on the job since Saturday. I want to thank God and particularly UNICEF for their support over the years. They have supported us in several ways by building capacity through training. We are also trying on our own part.
“Am impressed with the turn out of mothers. They always come in large number every Mondays and Thursdays for routine Immunization of their children against Tuberculosis, hepatitis, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough and Polio. We get enough vaccine from UNICEF”.
Commenting on the importance of the World Immunization Week Mvumble Yusuf
Vaccines and Logistics
Consultant UNICEF said the organization uses this period to sensitize mothers on the need to immunize their children against vaccine preventable diseases
He said UNICEF observes about 12 vaccines in the Nigerian Immunization schedule and all of them are to prevent children from vaccine preventable diseases.
He said, “we all have taken vaccines in the past and so it is our duty to ensure that the children coming after us also receive these vaccines to give them a chance to life, that is free of diseases so that they can live a quality life.
“Principally, in Nigeria like other parts of the world, UNICEF plays a key role in the Procurement and distribution of vaccines. These vaccines are procured from other countries and kept in what is called a ‘Cushing system’. So, aside procuring these vaccines, UNICEF ensures that they are kept in a safe and potent condition because vaccines have what is called standard operational protocol that must be adhered to.
“They are not like our coke that can be exposed to ambient temperature. As you can see these are solar panels and it is meant to power the solar drive which is a refrigerator where these vaccines are kept. So, these vaccines are kept safe so that whoever is taking is sure that they will prevent him /her from vaccine preventable diseases. And the vaccines are given in doses so if a vaccine is not open and administered to a child, how would you know if it works on the child or not.
“It is left to us to ensure that the potency of the vaccines are maintained. That is one area UNICEF has been playing a key role. The other area is the Procurement of fast carrier equipment. So far, since October last year prior to the Measles campaign, UNICEF has supplied over 2000 Vaccine carriers for the State. We don’t have a fixed session like this one, we usually move to the communities and render services to them. We cannot move to these places without carrying the vaccines in a safe condition.
“Aside that also, UNICEF provides medical consumables and commodities like the syringes that is used to introduce these vaccines into the eligible children. UNICEF also build the capacity of health care workers.
“In every local government area, we have what is called poshing officers. We also have Immunization waste managers. Their presence there is to ensure that vaccines are safe. Even at the health facilities, we have RIF Vocal Persons who are to ensure that vaccines are administered to eligible population and the safety of those vaccines are guaranteed.
“All these people their capacities have been built and it is a continous thing of training and retraining.
The World Immunization Week coincides with National Immunization Plus Day, NIPD and during the NIPD, children below 5 years of age are given Oral Polio Vaccine, OPV which is against Polio that causes paralysis in children. Through UNICEF, the State was supplied with 2.3 million of the OPV to be administered to children. Should the state require more vaccines, more will be supplied to ensure that all chdren below the age of 5 are given these vaccines. And also during this campaign, there is what we call RI who provide routine Immunization services. During these time, if there are places, they could reach, they will leverage on this opportunity because they have funding to move around to ensure that children who may have these Immunization, are vaccinated.
A nursing Mother Patience Oduga said, “my baby is doing fine courtesy of immunization. She is 6 months. I have been giving her Immunization. Since I gave birth to her, she has not fallen sick and am also doing exclusive breast feeding. I want to say to UNICEF that you people are doing well. Thanks for the medicine and vaccines they have been sending to us. We really appreciate you people and pray that God give you the strength to continue this good gesture”.
The women passionately appealed to UNICEF for supply of mosquito Nets.
