Suspected EPV delays second immunization exercise

By Abolaji Adebayo

The fear of the presence of Environmental Polio Virus (EPV) has caused indefinite postponement of the second phase of child immunization exercise earlier scheduled to come up between May 25 and 28.

It was gathered that the federal government has stopped the exercise due to suspected virus rumored to have been detected in some parts of the country; hence a sample was taken abroad to be tested for verification.

Echoenews learned from the primary health workers in Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) that the virus has not been in place in the country as the result of the test was negative.

Meanwhile, they said they have not known when the immunization exercise would commence as the government has not fixed another date for the exercise.

Speaking to our correspondent in her office, the Medical Officer of Health, Isolo LCDA, Dr. Temitope Ajayi, said the health workers in Isolo are on the alert for the new commencement date to be announced by the government, adding that they are ready to go into action as soon as the date in announced.

Ajayi disclosed that although the last immunization exercise was successful, it took them extra efforts to get the children vaccinated as many parents were reluctant to release their children for the exercise.

She added that some schools within the community also gave the health workers some kind of headache before allowing them to vaccinate their students, claiming that they were not authorized by their parents to release them.

Meanwhile, Ajayi hinted that the second phase of the exercise would be for every child between the ages of one day to five years whether they participated in the first one or not.

She admonished the parents and the school management not to disallow the health workers to vaccinate those children who had already been immunized during the first phase.

She explained that the second phase is majorly meant for those children who were vaccinated in the first phase, reiterating that it is necessary for them to complete the dose.

Like the first one, Ajayi said that it is going to be oral vaccine but not injection vaccine, allaying the fear of those have phobia for injection.