The Ogun Government says it is targeting over two million children under the age of 0-59 months as it begins the First Round, Outbreak Response Exercise against Polio virus in the State.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker made this known during the flag off ceremony held at the Iberekodo Primary Health Center, Abeokuta, saying that the present administration remained committed to sustaining a polio-free status.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olukayode Oladeinde, she stated that the exercise became imperative as there was report of an outbreak of the Circulating Variant of Poliomyelitis virus in the country, adding that the state in collaboration with Development Partners deemed it fit to tackle any form of the infection.

He restated the Prince Dapo Abiodun led administration’s commitment to ensuring children and women have access to quality healthcare delivery, saying it had prioritized health as part of his promises to residents in the State.

He explained that the programme would begin from Saturday, 17th through Tuesday, 20th, 2022, while routine immunization would also be administered to children at government facilities across the State during the period, free of charge, saying vaccinating teams would be moving from house to house, markets, churches and mosques.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, said that children, ages 0-59 months would be vaccinated with two drops of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), adding that the vaccines were safe and potent.

In their goodwill messages, representative, National Team Lead for OBR1, Dr. Suleiman Haladu and the State Coordinator, World Health Organization (WHO), Mrs Afolake Ogunlaja and her counterpart from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Victoria Adebiyi said that the vaccines were safe and effective in protecting children against diseases, reiterating that their organizations remained committed to supporting the Ogun Government in all its healthcare programs aimed at ensuring the wellbeing of residents especially children.

Earlier in his address, Chairman, Abeokuta North Local Government, Hon. Abdul Sallam Adebayo represented by the Medical Officer of Health, Dr Oladipupo Afonja appreciated the present administration for the various health programmes and interventions, which he said, were focused on improving the wellbeing of children.