Ahead of The Maternal And Neonatal Tetanus Exercise, Ekpenyong Meets with Stakeholders, Seek Improved Awareness

 

Tetanus, one  of the world leading causes of death in women of child bearing age has remained a cocern especially in sub Saharan Africa with an estimate of over  25,000 people dying yearly due to infection.

To this end, there is a need for stakeholders to raise awareness and completely take steps to eliminate the disease in  our various Communities.

In Cross River State, the Government is reaching out to all stakeholders both in the private and public sector  to ensure that, people are vaccinated and  right messages on prevention also passed across especially to women of child bearing age.

Speaking at the Office of the state Commissioner for Education, the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong thanked the Commissioner and the ministry for a long lasting relationship which has beared a fruitful partnership especially for health interventions which requires accessing educational facilities in the state.

Dr Ekpenyong noted that, with right messages passed across to the public using the Education ministry and schools, there is a guaranteed acceptance rate , hence the need to continually partner with the ministry.

"Majority of our targeted population are young people mostly in Secondary and Tertiary Institutions, and with Akamkpa being our targeted area, we seek the intervention of the Ministry of Education to allow health workers gain access to these schools and their students.

As a state, we are positive about eradicating all killer  disease and that is why we are taking hollistic measures to raise awareness on their possible causes , symptoms and cure.

She urged everyone especially residents of Akamkpa Local Government Area to support the state Government during the week long exercise by bringing those in the eligible category out to health Facilities for Vaccination.

Responding, the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Hon Godwin Amanke praised the DG and her team for the collaboration with the state Ministry of Education to ensure that , children of school age receive quality and effective Healthcare delivery.

He promised the cooperation of all schools involved noting that except for a sound body and mind, no student will excel in his or her Academic endeavours, hence the need to partner with the Agency to ensure full compliance.

On her part, the state Immunization Officer, Mrs Joy Chabo explained that, the intervention is restricted to Akampa Local Government Area due to its poor performance on the last post MNTE assessment which she described as pathetic.

She said the need to get all women of child bearing age vaccinated is necessary owing to the increased maternal and neonatal mortality rate due to Tetanus Infection.

The Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Eradication Exercise is expected to commence on Tuesday, April 27th 2021 through Sunday 5th May in all political wards of Akamkpa with the target population falling between 15-55 years of age.