By Christopher Yarwoe in Buchanan
As part of efforts to create massive awareness of the first round of the Liberia National Integrated Polio Vaccination campaign expected to get underway, a major Pre-campaign Coordination and Advocacy Meeting has been held in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County by the Health Team.
The Integrated Polio Vaccination will offer vitamin “A” and Deworming to children below five years, with a message “Let us keep polio out of Liberia” from May 4 -7, 2018.
According to the Child Survival of the Bassa County Health Team, Benjamin Peters 75,210 children are to get vaccinated in Bassa.
Speaking during the Pre –campaign Coordination and Advocacy Meeting at the office of the County Health Team, Mr. Peters said that 326 persons will be trained across the county through the eight District Health Officers, who have already gotten training on the polio vaccination.
The Child Survival said that they will prioritize the Community Health Volunteers in their recruitment process because they are always assisting the County Health Team in delivering health services to the communities.
Also speaking, the National Supervisor for Social Mobilization of the Ministry of Health, Mr. Jefferson Vobah, said the awareness will be done from house to house, schools, market grounds, churches and mosque, including mobile campaign so that no child can be left out during the polio vaccination.
“We are using the community leaders and local officials of government to help spread the message of polio because in the past, when there was no vaccine, most people attributed polio to witchcraft activities,” Mr. Vobah said.
“We want people to take the polio vaccine serious so we can get rid of polio in Liberia,” the National Supervisor for Social Mobilization of the Health Ministry added.
Buttressing his statement, the County Health Officer (CHO), Doctor Anthony Tucker told the stakeholders who attended the meeting to help spread the message in their various communities and the community radio stations to air the polio messages, in order to get everyone informed about the polio campaign.
“We will continue to give routine vaccine to get rid of polio so people should not get tire hearing the message because Nigeria always come out with the disease,” Dr. Tucker told the stakeholders.
The CHO mentioned that their major challenge is vehicles to transport materials in the field for the polio campaign.
He said that since 2013 the County Health Team of Grand Bassa has not received any new vehicle from the Ministry of Health, something Doctor Tucker said is posing serious challenges to them to carry out the polio campaign across the county.
“Right now we do not have movable vehicles in the county which will make it difficult for us to administer the polio campaign in Grand Bassa County,” Doctor Tucker stated.
“This is challenging,” the County Health Officer added, as he appealed to their partners and companies such as WHO, MCSP, AMERICARES, Liberian Agricultural Companies, LINBINCO CONCESSION, Local Authorities, including stakeholders for vehicles to carry out the integrated polio campaign in the county.
The stakeholders who attended the meeting lauded the County Health Team first for inviting them to the Pre-campaign Coordination and Advocacy Meeting, as they promised to help spread the message, so that parents can take advantage of the polio campaign for their children under five years to get vaccinated.
The meeting was attended by more than 20 stakeholders comprising of local authorities, Bassa Women Development Association, media houses, partners and health workers.