In a bid to lower the number of unimmunised children and bringing preventive healthcare to rural residents, the Oyo State government has inaugurated the State Immunisation Task Force Committee, to give inter-sectoral groups the chance to support current efforts.
Earlier in his remarks, the Secretary, Oyo State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Olatunji, said that he is pleased with the government’s efforts to ensure that every child receives vaccinations.
“We need to safeguard our children from vaccine-preventable dangerous diseases. It is better than buying medications which we can hardly afford sometimes”, he stated.
While performing the ceremony at the Emergency Operation Centre, Yemetu, Ibadan, the Acting Governor of Oyo State, Barrister Adebayo Abdul-Raheem Lawal said that the inauguration further proves the Makinde-led administration’s dedication to enhancing the state’s well-being by delivering improved healthcare services.
According to him, the Taskforce on Immunisation was constituted to ensure that children receive immunisations against diseases that can be prevented and are linked to infant mortality.
Lawal emphasised that the Oyo State government adopted the policy that there should be one operational primary healthcare facility in each political ward, as part of its effort to improve the state’s failing healthcare system.
He added that the state has started to renovate 351 primary health care centres, of which 210 have already been done, with medications being purchased for use at the state’s primary healthcare facilities.
Lawal further explained how the state responded appropriately, with the primary healthcare gateway becoming the ready access to the communities and an effective point of contact for the people, for the curtailment and management of the various consequences of COVID-19.
He reiterated that the task force being inaugurated on Monday will engage with the public health institution, traditional leaders; religious leaders; community influential; market men and women; national and international organisations, other relevant stakeholders and partners, to sustain the development and implementation of key immunisation policies state-wide in Oyo State.
The Acting Governor added that the administration is leveraging on every opportunity provided by developmental partners such as UNICEF, WHO, Institute of Human Virology, NCDC, Breakthrough Action, NPHCDA and APIN, as well as other stakeholders to have a robust healthcare service delivery.
In the meantime, present at the inauguration with the Acting Governor were — Oyo Commissioner for Health, Dr Olabode Ladipo; representative of Olubadan, Iya Loja of Ibadan land, Oloye Oyinlola Shukurat, among others.
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