Kogi Plans Reduction in Cost of Treating Pregnant Women, Children

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Kogi State Government says it is considering plans to reduce the cost of treating pregnant women and children under the age of five years in its public health facilities in the State.

Kogi State Governor, Capt Idris Wada, stated this at the State flag – off of August 2014 immunization plus Days in Lokoja.

The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Yomi Awoniyi, disclosed that his administration is committed to meeting its obligations to the people of the State in other critical areas of health such as nutrition, communicable diseases, and access to essential drugs and safe water as well as improved sanitation towards reducing child morbidity rate in the State.

Capt Wada said measures aimed at tackling maternal mortality in the State in addition to evolving a comprehensive healthcare policy to address the health needs of the people of the State with emphasis on free medical treatment of rural dwellers and those living in urban slum, is on, appealed to parents and guardians living in rural communities of the State to embrace this immunization programme.

While noting that the vaccines are not harmful, Wada disclosed that they are meant to prevent diseases that affect lives of the children or even kill them.

In his remarks, Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Idris Omede, says the State has began the renovation of all cold chain stores in the State to boost immunization programme and is also providing equipments including solar direct drive fridges with the Bill and Melinda gate fund grant the State won in 2012.

The Commissioner who commended the Commitment of the Kogi State Government to the eradication of polio, said over 1.2 million doses of polio vaccines have been received and distributed across the 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State for the 9th to 12th August, 2014, oral polio vaccines to be administered to children aged from birth to 5 years, by immunization teams.

In his speech, Chairman of Lokoja Local Government Area, Alhaji Aliyu Baba Usman, said a directive to attain 95% coverage of all wards in his area has been given, called on parents, nursing mothers and traditional rulers to join in the fight against eradicating polio in the State.

There were goodwill messages from donor agencies and other stakeholders in the fight to eradicating polio in the State.

Highlight of the occasion was the administration of polio by the State Governor on some selected children.


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