Due to the influx of Cameroonian refugees into different communities in Cross River State, the State Government has commenced campaigns for measles vaccination to different border areas of the state.

 

Over 50percent of the 14,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers in cross river state, are children below the age of 5 years. This has been a source of concern for healthcare providers in the state who fear a possible outbreak of diseases, hence the need for the commencement of the vaccination campaign by the state Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Esu.

 

He said government will ensure universal coverage of all the communities especially in the rural areas, assuring that facilities and manpower have been provided to keep cross river state population healthy.

 

On their parts, the Commissioner for health, Inyang Asibong and Director General, Cross river state Primary Health Care Development Agency, Betta Edu said health workers have been deployed to the hard-to-reach communities, explaining that the  immunization is expected to be 100 percent across the 18 local government areas of the state.

 

AIT's Rasheed Olanrewaju reports that the health care providers are also to visit transit camps, IDP camps and border posts in all the border communities to guarantee safety of the children between 9 months and 5 years of age from deadly measles disease. 

AIT News