The wife of Abia State Governor, Mrs. Priscilla Otti, has called on key stakeholders to ensure that the upcoming Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign reaches the grassroots level. These stakeholders include the wives of local government area mayors, community leaders, and others.
At a meeting with stakeholders in Umuahia, the state capital, on Friday, Mrs. Otti, represented by the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Mrs. Maureen Arungwa, emphasized the importance of their roles. She said, “As wives of mayors, I am entrusting you with these responsibilities, and I expect you to carry them out with utmost dedication. I urge you to mobilize mothers, caregivers, and parents for the flag-off ceremony. Please seek support from your husbands, the mayors, traditional rulers, stakeholders, and faith-based organizations in your communities to ensure proper sensitization and smooth implementation of this campaign in your local government areas. Your active participation in monitoring and supervising the vaccination process is crucial at the LGA level.”
She further appealed, “As mothers, community leaders, and role models, we share a responsibility to protect the health of our children. Too many lives have been lost to vaccine-preventable diseases, and we must not let misinformation prevent a healthier future for our children. The Measles-Rubella vaccine is safe, effective, and life-saving. Unfortunately, resistance persists due to myths, fear, and misinformation. False claims are circulating, suggesting the vaccine causes infertility, is part of a harmful agenda, or that children don’t need it. These are lies. The truth is, millions of children worldwide have been safely vaccinated, and thanks to vaccination, measles and rubella have been significantly reduced in many countries.”
“That’s why we are here today—to equip you, our key stakeholders, including the wives of mayors and community leaders, with the correct information to take back to your communities. Your voices carry significant influence, and we need your leadership to combat the falsehoods that are hindering families from vaccinating their children.”
Earlier, the Director of the State Primary Healthcare Agency, Dr. Kalu Kalu, and the state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, represented by his Permanent Secretary, Chris Onwuegbu, addressed the attendees. They stressed that the purpose of the meeting was to educate participants about the diseases and how vaccination can prevent them. They also urged everyone to do their part in ensuring that the campaign reaches the grassroots level.