WHO dismisses fears over administration of Polio, HPV vaccines, says they are not new in Nigeria

The World Health Organization, WHO, has dismissed fears over the administration of polio, Human Papillomavirus, HPV, measles and other vaccines, saying no vaccine will be approved for use, if it has not been declared safe by the respective authority at the various level.

Fresh Angle International, can report that an official of WHO, Ovwighose Obaro Darlington, who gave the assurance in Warri, Delta State, Monday June 30, during an enlarged stakeholders forum organized by Warri South Local Government Council, said the vaccines are not new in Nigeria.

According to Ovwighose, people think the vaccines are new, because they have been made publicly available at no cost, noting that WHO, UNICEF, GAVI and other sister partners, bear the cost of the vaccines.

He noted: “WHO is a technical pattern that supports health activities across the world. WHO is close to our community. When it concerns health, we start from the community. If we must attain the Universal Health coverage as we all expect, the effort must also begin from the community, wherever the people are found, whether land, water or inside the cave.

Ovwighose Obaro Darlington, speaking

“The goal is to ensure that wherever people leave, they are able to attain universal health coverage and the effort to attain universal health coverage, begins with prevention. There are two group of persons that are more prone to coming down to any kind of disease; the young and elderlies. Effort to prevent diseases begin from when the child is still in the mother’s womb. This is the second round of this exercise.

“No vaccine will be approved for use, if it has not been declared safe by the respective authority at the various level. WHO will not fund public acceptance of vaccine if the vaccine is not safe, UNICEF and other UN agencies, will not put their efforts into ensuring that vaccine that are not safe, goes into a community.

A cross section of stakeholders

“The vaccines we think are new to us in Nigeria, are not new. It is only new to us now because it has been publicity available. HPV is not new. Before the HPV vaccine was introduced last year, some of our girl-children, already took it. Then it was not fake, so why is it fake now, because it is now publicly available to every kind of person. The fight against Polio started from 1986. As at today, there are only two nations of the world that have white polio virus; Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“The potency, efficacy of vaccine in preventing and curbing of public health diseases, can not be overemphasized. If we have issues about it, please don’t go to the market women, don’t listen to what is flying on the internet, go to our health care centres", ask the doctors and nurses, they will educate you on it.

“Our challenge is church, mosques and schools, rejecting the vaccine. Immunization has taken place if every eligible child has taken the vaccine.”

Chief Butler Igbigbi (left) Mrs. Misan Eke (2nd right) Hon. Mofe Amiwe (right) & others

Ovwighose, thanked the Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Comr. Agbateyiniro Weyinmi Isaac, for being committed towards promoting efficient primary healthcare and ensuring that the vaccination exercise is successful in Warri South Local Government Area.

The Deputy Director, Disease Control and Immunization, Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency, DSPHCDA, Pharmacist Richard Ogide, told the stakeholders “The vaccine (polio) is antigen, it builds the child immunity.

“Don’t jeopardise the live of these children, because of our religious belief. Please let’s go home and talk to our people.

Pharm. Richard Ogide, speaking

“The vaccine is very safe. If they tell you that the vaccine is not safe, don’t listen to them. These stories are fallacies.”

Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Comr. Agbateyiniro Weyinmi Isaac, in his keynote remarks, explained: “The reason for this stakeholders’ meeting, is for us to jointly solve the issue of non-compliance.

Comr. Agbateyiniro Weyinmi Isaac, making his remarks

“It has to do with the application of immunization in Warri South. All of us here, have a role to play. This immunization is an ongoing thing. These vaccines are free, nobody will ask you to pay a dime.

“If we properly organize ourselves, those things that create apathy, will be addressed. Diseases is not our friend, if we don’t threat it, it will kill us.”

Front Row: A cross section of Councilors , Supervisor & others

×