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Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.

By Ewomazino Egbo

To achieve the national target of eliminating Yellow Fever Epidemic (EYE) by 2026, Delta State will begin the Yellow Fever vaccination from 4th-13th December, 2020 for persons between the ages of nine months to 44 years in 22 LGAs of the state.

Disclosing this during an advocacy visit to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Waste Management Board, the Executive Director, Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency (DSPHCDA) Dr Jude Winful- Orieke, said that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa would flag off of the exercise on 3rd December, 2020.

Dr Winful-Orieke said that the exercise would be in all local government areas of the state except for Ughelli North, Ika North East and Ika South, explaining that the LGAs implemented what he described as ‘Reactive Yellow Fever’ vaccination following the outbreak of the disease in the state.

He stated that the visit was to strengthen the synergy between the agency and MDAs, noting that the Goal 3 and 6 of the SDGs dealt with health, especially disease prevention, which he noted was the mandate of primary health care.

He commended the SDG for intervening in the structures of PHCs across the state and appealed for provision of solar power electricity to assist in the cold store of vaccines.

In his response, the Senior Special Assistant on SDG, Dr. Jude Ilabor, promised to support in the ensuring a successful Yellow Fever vaccination campaign.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of DSPHCDA, Dr Jude Winful- Orieke, was at the Delta State Waste Management Board where he said the visit was to seek collaboration for the forthcoming Yellow Fever vaccination across the state.

Addressing the Executive Chairman of the State Waste Management Board at the Headquarters Asaba, Who was represented by the Director of Administration Mr Steve Idogun Dr Winful- Orieke revealed that the Yellow Fever vaccination, which targets over 1.5 million Deltans, would generate medical waste, saying that it was an injectable vaccine that required prompt disposal by incinerator.

Noting that the Waste Management Board was crucial in disease prevention, the executive director said the agency had put machinery in place to check the spike of diseases occurring during the dry season, such as Lassa fever.

He enjoined the board to compel its private waste disposal partners on prompt disposal of refuse.

Responding, the Executive Chairman of the State Waste Management Board, Mr Emmanuel Chinye, who was represented by the Director of Administration in the board, Mr Steve Idogun, assured of the board’s commitment to make the management of medical waste from the vaccination stress-free.

Relatedly, local government health team comprising executive secretaries, local immunization officer, cold chain officer, health educator and disease surveillance notification officers have been charged to ensure effective planning ahead of the Yellow Fever vaccination exercise.