FG, WHO to vaccinate 26.2 million people against yellow fever
The federal government with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) will soon vaccinate 26.2 million people in the country against yellow fever. A statement from WHO Nigeria Office yesterday, said the second phase of the government’s biggest ever yellow fever vaccination campaign started yesterday and will run till December 1st. The campaign targets children […]
The federal government with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) will soon vaccinate 26.2 million people in the country against yellow fever.
A statement from WHO Nigeria Office yesterday, said the second phase of the government’s biggest ever yellow fever vaccination campaign started yesterday and will run till December 1st.
The campaign targets children and adults in Plateau, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger and Borno states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Other organisations supporting the yellow fever campaign include Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF, the statement said .
Director Special Duties at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Joseph Oteri said the vaccination would be for people within 9 months to 44 years cohort, adding “parents are advised to avail themselves and their children to partake in the vaccination; The vaccine is free, safe and effective.”
Yellow fever is caused by a virus spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Some patients can develop serious symptoms, including high fever and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), but the disease can be easily prevented by a vaccine that provides immunity for life.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti said immunizing more than 26 million people is a massive undertaking.
“But this achievement will represent a huge step towards protecting people from the potentially deadly viral haemorrhagic disease not only in Nigeria but in the African region,” she said.
The Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO with support from Gavi, has trained and deployed Management Support Teams (MST) to ensure the second phase of the vaccination campaign runs smoothly.
“Nigeria is on the front line in the global battle against yellow fever,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Routine immunisation coverage remains dangerously low, as shown by the latest outbreak, which is why this campaign is so important to protect the vulnerable. While this campaign will save lives, we need to focus our efforts on the best long-term solution – improving routine immunisation coverage so every child is protected, preventing outbreaks from happening in the first place.”
The first phase of the yellow fever preventive mass vaccination campaign (PMVC) took place in January and February 2018 in Kwara, Kogi and Zamfara states and parts of Borno state.
About 8.7 million adults and children between the ages of 9 months and 45 years of ages were vaccinated. A total of 39.9 million people are expected to be vaccinated against yellow fever this year.
The campaign is taking place as Nigeria experiences a yellow fever outbreak. Since its start in September 2017, confirmed cases have been recorded in 27 Local Government Areas across 14 states.
Nigeria is one of 50 partners pursuing the Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) strategy. Steered by WHO, Gavi and UNICEF, the strategy seeks to protect at-risk populations, prevent international spread and contain outbreaks rapidly.
As part of EYE, Nigeria has developed a 10-year strategic elimination plan to reduce the incidence of yellow fever epidemics and to vaccinate at least 80% of the target population in all states by 2026.