Join Hands With Government To Achieve A Healthy Society: Brisibe Tasks Bayelsans.

 

As the world marks Malaria day and world Immunization week, the commissioner for Health, Bayelsa State, Professor Seiyefa  Brisibe has called on Bayelsans to join hands with the prosperity government to achieve a  healthy society.

Speaking at the week in Yenagoa the health commissioner maintained that Bayelsa State Government under Governor Douye Diri was working towards achieving a healthier and more resilient society.

 With the theme of this year, Malaria ends with us: reinvest, reimagine, reignite, with the world Immunization week spanning between 24^th to 30^th of April, Brisibe disclosed that the state government has renewed commitment to eliminate Malaria and expand Immunization coverage in the state disclosing that the state has made progress in disease prevention.

Urging the citizens to prioritize both Malaria control and vaccination, the health commissioner stated that the state government was reinvesting in primary health care, public health and sustainable financing.

He called on parents to ensure that their wards complete the full vaccination schedule from birth to two, participate in the ongoing supplementary immunization and support health workers during the door to door campaigns.

 Also the state government he said was reimagining malaria through innovation, data-driven solutions, and partnerships, working closely with key partners that are driving awareness on malaria and vaccination.

He said:” Bayela State Government is expanding vaccine uptake and improving completion rates, strengthening delivery service in both urban and remote areas and reducing malaria related morbidity and mortality across all the local government areas.

 Brisibe said that Bayelsa was among the first Nigerian state to roll out malaria vaccine through the national immunization schedule adding that as at the time of filling in this report, 19,055 children have received the first dose, 10,537 have received second while 4,446 have completed the third dose indicating a 58% drop out rate.

Maintaining that children must complete all the doses, he disclosed that over 250 health facilities were equipped with free rapid diagnostic kits, antimalarial and hematinic adding that mobile outreach team has extended her services to the hard to reach communities.

 He also disclosed that over 200,000 children were vaccinated in 2023 through campaigns against polio, measles and yellow fever adding that COVID 19 booster dose was also integrated into the routine immunization platform.