WORLD HEALTH OROGANIZATION FLAGS OFF CHOLERA VACCINATION IN BAYELSA WITH 7,000 VACCINES, AS GOVERNOR DOUYE DIRI URGES BAYELSANS TO TURN OUT EN MASSE FOR VACCINATION.

CHOLERA VACCINE

Bayelsa State Government has appealed to the people of the state to make themselves available for the ongoing oral cholera vaccination, OCV as a preventive measure against the communicable disease.

Governor Douye Diri, who was represented by Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, his deputy, made the appeal at the weekend during the flag-off of cholera vaccination campaign by the World Health Organization, W.H.O in Government House, Yenagoa.

The governor who said the vaccines were safe to boost their immune systems, expressed gratitude to the W.H.O for its collaborative efforts with the state government in addressing health issues in the state.

According to him, it was as a result of the proactive measures and prompt response by the state government and all stakeholders in the health sector that the impact of outbreak of epidemics in the 6 states in the South-South zone was not felt in Bayelsa State.

The state’s helmsman also directed Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, the Commissioner for Information, Strategy and Orientation, to create the necessary awareness about the need for the cholera vaccination as part of efforts to promote healthy living.

In his remarks, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, the Commissioner for Health, expressed government’s commitment to strengthening public health emergency response systems in the state.

Prof. Brisibe said the W.H.O has released 7,000 doses of the cholera vaccine to cover Southern Ijaw and Nembe Local Government Areas to kick-start the vaccination in the state.

He stressed the need to increase the uptake, noting that the state has not recorded any side effects from all the vaccinations including the cholera and the ongoing malaria vaccination exercise.

The health Commissioner also applauded the Governor Diri-led administration for its intervention through periodic medical outreaches to save lives across communities in the state.

Also, Dr. Marcus Oluwadare, the State Coordinator of the World Health Organization, described the state’s response to health emergency situations in the state as very impressive.

Dr. Oluwadare revealed that Bayelsa is the first state in the country to receive the Oral Cholera Vaccines, OCV, which he said is safe for children above one year of age.

Highpoint of the flag-off ceremony was the administration of the oral vaccine on Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the Deputy Governor, Hon. Moses Marlon, the lawmaker representing Southern Ijaw constituency 3, Hon. Bonny Ayah, his constituency 1 colleague, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, Information Commissioner, and other top government functionaries.