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Health

Tetanus: Ingawa LGC targets 55,110 women for vaccination

Tetanus: Ingawa LGC targets 55,110 women for vaccination

By Auwalu Birnin Kudu
Vaccination
Ingawa (Katsina State), Oct. 23, 2019 (NAN) The Ingawa Local Government Council in Katsina State says it will vaccinate 55,110 women of between 15 and 49 years of age against neonatal tetanus in the area.
Malam Abdurrahaman Auwalu, the Council Director of Primary Health Care (PHC), made this known in Ingawa on Wednesday during the inauguration of the five-day vaccination across the 11 existing electoral wards.
He said the exercise would prevent women against falling victims of neonatal tetanus which had medically proven to be one of the dangerous diseases affecting women especially pregnant mothers.
According to him, the council has formed 44 teams comprising vaccinators, recorders and guides, adding that the exercise will cover all existing Primary and Girls Secondary Schools for wider coverage.
He called on women who fall under the category of the target group to embrace the exercise.
“We have stationed our teams at hospitals, ward and district head houses to facilitate easy access.’’
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the council recently provided medical assistance to 50 indigene persons as part of its effort to promote healthcare in the area. (NAN)
BKD/AMM/MST
Edited by Abiemwense Moru/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Delta LGC commences tetanus vaccination

Delta LGC commences tetanus vaccination
By Edike Igafe
Vaccination
Warri (Delta), Nov. 15, 2018 (NAN) The Warri South Local Government Council has commenced the Maternal Neonatal Tetanus Vaccination in the area with a view to eliminating the scourge.
The five-day programme was flagged off on Thursday by Mrs Juliet Tidi, wife of the council Chairman, Mr Michael Tidi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inoculation is for female between the age bracket of 15 and 49, and was flagged off at the council’s Secretariat.
Tidi urged pregnant women to patronise qualified healthcare workers for proper health monitoring and safe delivery.
She explained that tetanus occurred as a result of unhygienic method of delivery and umbilical cord care.
“Pregnant women should as soon as they are pregnant go to the nearest health facility in the Local Government Area for proper health monitoring and safe delivery by trained health workers.
“Immunisation is key to the prevention of the disease, therefore every girl and woman of child bearing age must ensure they complete the five doses of Tetanus Diphtheria vaccine at appropriate interval,” Tidi said.
She urged the girls and women to avail themselves of the opportunity and get vaccinated, noting that the exercise will go a long way to improving their health status.
Mrs Beatrice Onwo, the Health Educator, Warri South Local Government Council, said the exercise would be conducted at fix and temporary fix posts across the area.
She said the temporary fixed post included schools, churches, mosques and markets, while the fixed posts were all the health facilities in the area.
“Before now, mothers use cotton wool and other things for their baby cord; there is now a new gel. There will be no maternal neonatal death again with this introduction,” she said.
Mrs Abigail Edokpaiye, mother of three and a beneficiary, thanked the government for the gesture, noting that it will help in eliminating the scourge. (NAN)
EDI/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Oyo commences 2nd round of neonatal tetanus campaign

Oyo commences 2nd round of neonatal tetanus campaign
NAN-H-31
Tetanus
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Oct. 18, 2017 (NAN) The Oyo State Government says it will commence the second round of Maternal Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) campaign in seven affected local government areas on Friday.
Mrs Oluwakemi Olawoyin, the State Health Educator, Ministry of Health, disclosed this on Wednesday in Ibadan at a sensitisation programme aimed at eliminating MNT from the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seven local governments identified are Atisbo, Ibarapa North, Itesiwaju, Iwajowa, Oyo West, Saki East and Saki West.
The first round elimination campaign was held from Sept. 11 to 19, while the second round would hold from Oct. 20 to 24.
She stated that the general objective of the vaccination exercise was to achieve total elimination of neonatal tetanus from the state.
“Nigeria is a signatory to the international pact for the elimination of Tetanus disease by 2015 but now in 2017.
“Seven local government areas in Oyo State have been identified to be at high risk.
“In order to meet up with an international validation exercise, the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board has now begun a three round of vaccination exercise within the affected local government areas.
“We urge all females of reproductive ages within the council areas to avail themselves the new opportunities,’’ she said.
Mr Steve Akinrinade, the state Coordinator, Primary Health Care Board, explained that 124,852 persons immunised out of the 137,046 persons targeted in the first round.
Akinrinade stated that the ministry recorded 91 per cent coverage in the first round, saying the second and third round is equally necessary.
Similarly, Mrs Kehinde Idowu, Chief Administrator, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, urged women across the seven affected local government areas to avail themselves the opportunity of eradicating neonatal tetanus in the state.
The caretaker chairmen of the seven affected local councils, who were also at the meeting, promised to support the campaign both morally and financially.
They recounted their efforts at mobilising their communities, which led to the success recorded in the first round of the exercise.
NAN reports that the programme was attended by traditional rulers, civil society organisations, health workers and women groups. (NAN)
TAA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Tetanus: Oyo to vaccinate 80% of women

Tetanus: Oyo to vaccinate 80% of women
NAN-HG-5
Vaccination
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Sept. 12, 2017 (NAN) The Oyo State Government says it will conduct three-rounds of vaccination for Maternal Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) in seven affected local government areas to reduce the scourge.
Mrs Oluwakemi Olawoyin, the State Health Educator, Ministry of Health, disclosed this on Tuesday in Ibadan at a sensitisation programme aimed at eliminating MNT in the state.
“The general objective of the new vaccination exercise is to achieve 80 per cent coverage during the three rounds of vaccination exercise across the seven local government areas,’’ she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three-rounds of MNT elimination exercise will hold from Sept. 11 to Sept. 19; Oct. 20 to Oct. 24 and in May 2018.
The vaccination exercise will cover seven local government areas in the state identified as high risk, including Atisbo, Ibarapa North, Itesiwaju, Iwajowa, Oyo West, Saki East and Saki West.
Olawoyin said that government would implement the three focus catch up rounds with TTCV in settlements located five Kilometres or more from a health facility in the seven high risk local government areas.
“Nigeria is a signatory to the international pact for the elimination of Tetanus disease by 2015 but now in 2017, seven local government areas in Oyo State have been identified to be at high risk.
“In order to meet up with an international validation exercise, the Oyo state primary health care board has now begun a three round of vaccination exercise within the affected local government areas.
“We urge all females of reproductive age within the council areas to avail themselves of the new opportunities,’’ she said.
Olawoyin said that findings of a report data and field assessment revealed that five out of the six states in the South-West zone of Nigeria were compatible with MNTE status, except Oyo state.
“The hard to reach populations, like Fulani settlements of Oyo state remain at risk of MNT.
“This was the findings from an assessment programme conducted across the South West region in May 2017,’’ she said.
Olawoyin, who noted that Nigeria was one of the 18 countries globally that were yet to achieve MNTE, said that recent statistics indicated significant drop in number of reported cases.
She appealed to women of reproductive age of between 15 and 49 years and pregnant women in the state to ensure they got proper immunisation against MNT.
The health educator explained that lots of women of child bearing age were ignorant of the need to receive vaccination against Tetanus Diphtheria (TD).
“Some engage in traditional methods of cord care and majority of pregnant women don’t attend Ante Natal Care at health facilities,’’ she said.
Mr Muideen Olalekan, an Assistant Chief Nursing Officer and representative of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, urged women within the reproductive age to ensure that they take advantage of the vaccination exercise.
Olalekan said that women within the reproductive age need to get themselves vaccinated during the five stipulated rounds to have live immunity from MNT.
Some participants in separate interviews with NAN commended government and the educators on the campaign, stressing the importance of such sensitisation and benefits.
They also pledged to support the efforts aimed at eliminating MNT across the state and in the country.
NAN reports that MNT is a form of generalised tetanus that occurs in newborns and infants who have not acquired passive immunity from their mothers and therefore are at risk.
It usually occurs through infection of the unhealed umbilical cord, particularly when the cord is cut with a non-sterile instrument. (NAN)
TAA/AOS/MST
Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Muhammad Suleiman Tola