The Executive Chairman of Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Hon. John Chukwuma Ogbodo, on Tuesday, 5th of May, 2025, flagged off the first round of National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) against Circulating Variant Polio virus Type 2 (CVPV2) infection at Nkanu West Council Secretariat, Agbani.
The exercise which was organized by the Nkanu West Local Government Health Authority, in collaboration with the Enugu State Primary Health Development Agency (ESPHCDA), the State Ministry of Health and other Partners such as WHO, UNICEF, among others, was aimed at sensitizing the participants on the need to mobilize, inform parents, guardians and caregivers to avail their children between the ages of 0 to 59 months for the uptake of the Polio immunization across the local council in order to achieve a healthy child, family and nation.
Speaking during the flag off, the Council Chairman urged parents and guardians in attendance to make use of the national exercise to immunization their children against the Circulating Variant Polio virus Type 2 (cVPV2) infection, while stressing that “Prevention is better than cure.”
In his remarks, the Secretary, Nkanu West Health Authority, Dr. Collins Okafor, explained that the National Immunization on polio eradication campaign which is taking place all over Nigeria will be done in two phases.
“The OPV implementation will last for 4 days, May 3 to 6, 2025 with two extra days for mop up. It will take place from house to house, churches, markets, schools, PHCs, and everywhere we can see children.
He however urged parents, guardians and caregivers to make use of primary Health centers across the local government and get their children vaccinated.
Those who participated during the exercise included the Vice Chairman of the LGA, Hon. Friday Nnam; Secretary of the LGA, Prince Onochie Igwesi; Supervisor for Health in the local council, Hon. Nick Aniwagu; State Technical Facilitator (STF) from the Enugu State Primary Health Development Agency, the LGA’s Local Immunization officer, WHO representative, UNICEF representative, among others.