By Francis Sadhere

The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan has flagged-off the 2013 third quarter Polio Eradication Sensitization campaign, saying that the State was committed to maintaining its polio-free status in the country.

Governor Uduaghan of Delta State (middle) Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon Ndudi Elumelu (left) and Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara during the 2013 3rd quarter Polio Eradication Programme Sensitization Campaign held in Warri.

In his opening address, Governor Uduaghan urged all Deltans to ensure that they take their children to immunization centers spread across the state, adding that there are crisis in the country that could prevent the state from being Polio free.

Governor Uduaghan said that though eradication polio from the country was a big challenge, the governors of the states have taken it upon themselves to ensure that they try as much as possible, to eradicate polio from their various states.

He said; “In Delta State there is no war and there is no crisis. But we must put at the back of the minds that one of the consequences of crisis and war is the fact that it make it difficult to prevent preventable diseases, especially polio. If we have that at the back of our mind we should not for any reason do anything that will cause crisis or war.

The Governor also warned that the state has to be vigilant because of the crisis that are in other states in the country, stressing that migration as a result of crisis was a potential risk for the state to have polio cases.

He added that because of the dangers of migration everybody in the state must work vigorously to ensure that children that are within the age of contacting polio are immunized periodically.

On the news making round that Edo state had incident of polio, Governor Uduaghan cleared the air on the issue, saying that the World Health Organization (WHO) has cleared Edo state by saying that there was no polio case in the state.

The governor said he was very sad to hear that Ethiope East, Sapele and Ughelle South local government council of the state were not taking polio eradication serious, ordering the local government Chairmen to see him immediately.

“One case of polio in Delta State sets you back at least two years. So whatever you have gained over the years, just because of our carelessness can set us back to least two years, and it is a human issue,”  he said.

He also revealed that there were pressures from many countries on the WHO to make it mandatory for any child coming from Nigeria should have a certificate of immunization for polio just like they had for yellow fever, pleading on all to take the immunization programme serious.

Earlier, the Warri South Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr. Augustine Uroye said that the programme was timely and important to all Nigerians in general and Warri South in particular, noting that the council will strive to achieve routine immunization coverage.

While saying that the immunization programme was free, Dr. Uroye assured the governor that the present transition committee will continue to support health programmes and other health activities to achieve the millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He said; “I am immensely grateful to His Excellency Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan for championing the free Maternal and Child Healthcare Programme in the state. I am also grateful the Delta State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, rotary international, UNICEF and other donor agencies for their various contributions.”

Also speaking to journalists, the Delta State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara expressed concern over what he described as calculated attempt to destroy the good work of government agencies by spreading negative rumours about the activities of government.