Stakeholders Urged to Spread Message on Routine Vaccination Named Big Catch Up
Stakeholders in the health sector have been urged to use their various platforms to spread the message on the importance and benefits of the current intensive routine vaccination named Big Catch up.
Bayelsa State Coordinator, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mr Christian Okechukwu disclosed this during a one day stakeholders meeting held at the State Emergency Routine Immunization Coordinating Centre, SERICC Conference Hall in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Mr Okechukwu noted that the Big Catch up exercise is aimed at reaching out to children between the ages of 1 to 5years in communities who have missed immunization or did not complete the immunization process.
He appealed to parents, caregivers and leaders in communities to support the exercise by making these children available to take these vaccines inorder to avoid vaccine preventable diseases.
In her welcome address, Director, Health Promotion, Primary Health Care Board, Lady Jacqueline Angaye emphasized the need for all stakeholders to support the board by spreading the right information to ensure that the exercise is successful.
Also speaking, UNICEF Consultant, Mrs Evelyn Eyo pointed out that the Big Catch up exercise is to ensure that all children are fully immunized which would strengthen and improve the health system in the state.
On her part, Executive Director, Women Organized for Mentorship and Advocacy Network (WOMAN) Lady Eunice Nnachi gave assurance of more public awareness to markets and streets to inform people, particularly women to allow their children have access to the vaccines.
Pastor Mrs Elizabeth Seth Eyedoude appealed to parents caregivers and leaders in communities to support the exercise by making their children available to take these vaccines inorder to avoid vaccine preventable diseases.
Program Manager, ENWAF, Mr Pereowei Asingbi made a commitment to embark on door to door sensitization on the streets and communities in the state.
The Big Catch up exercise begins on the 18th of December, 2024 and would last for several weeks in four local government areas, Yenagoa, Sagbama, Ogbia and Southern Ijaw.
