The Ekiti State Government has called on stakeholders across various sectors to support efforts aimed at safeguarding children’s health by ensuring their unhindered access to healthcare services, particularly immunisation.
This appeal was made by the Permanent Secretary of the Ekiti State Ministry of Information, Olusesan Alabi, during a one-day quarterly meeting of the Social and Behavioural Change (SBC) Committee held in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday.
The meeting was organised by the Ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to promote child welfare in Ekiti State and across Nigeria.
Alabi emphasized the importance of protecting children’s right to good health, stating, “Children’s access to quality healthcare is essential to building a healthy, empowered future generation. However, entrenched socio-cultural barriers and widespread misinformation continue to impede the realization of this right.”
He charged members of the SBC Committee to act as ambassadors in spreading accurate information on the importance of immunisation, stressing that vaccines play a crucial role in protecting children from life-threatening but preventable childhood diseases.
UNICEF Social and Behavioural Change Specialist, Aderonke Akinola-Adewole represented at the event by Ekiti State Health Educator, Olajumoke Oguntoye echoed the call for intensified awareness campaigns to counter myths and misconceptions surrounding vaccines. “Vaccination is a safe, reliable, and effective way to keep our children healthy and free from many preventable diseases, some of which can be fatal,” she said.
Oguntoye highlighted the benefits of immunisation, including protection against dangerous diseases such as measles, polio, and influenza, as well as reduced severity in cases where illness occurs. She also noted that widespread immunisation strengthens community health by curbing the spread of infectious diseases and contributes to global health targets, such as the eradication of smallpox.
She made a special appeal to religious leaders, private school owners, and parents to embrace and promote immunisation, encouraging them to present their children during scheduled vaccination campaigns.
