Gladys Nweke
The Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Prof Chike Princewill has warned no fewer than 74 private schools that refused to allow their pupils and students to participate in the ongoing measles immunization to do so or face government sanctions.
The Commissioner, after a routine inspection of progress made on the measles immunization exercise in 11 local government areas across the state, recently, frowned at the refusal of some school proprietors and heads to allow health officials immunize their students.
He noted that most schools in the Oyigbo axis recorded the less non-compliant attitude, as he insisted that the drugs were safe and good for pupils, especially those within nine months and five years.
The Rivers State Ministry of Health had released a list of 74 private schools which failed to comply with the directive, during the week.
In the list made available to theportcitynews.com, Obio/Akpor had 59 private schools that did not comply, Eleme had three, Port Harcourt City had 10, while Oyigbo had two.
In a similar vein, authorities in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area said that they have recorded about 85 percent coverage in the ongoing measles immunization exercise driven by the Rivers State Government in partnership with World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
Medical Health Officer for the area, Dr. Alfred Essede made the disclosure when he spoke with newsmen, who monitored the exercise at Opobo and satellite communities.
Essede while commending focus officers and supervisors in the exercise said, “The projection is to eliminate measles by the year 2020.”
He described measles as a contagious disease that mostly attack children, and called on parents to ensure their children are immunized during the exercise.
