By Olamide Francis
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, says that Enugu State will fully subscribe to the Federal Government’s COVID-19 vaccine arrangement and mode of administering it.
Obi said this at the weekend to commemorate the 2nd World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Day.
Obi said that the anticipated Federal Government COVID-19 vaccine, which must pass federal regulatory health agencies is safe and preserved under the prescribed international storage conditions. “The vaccine is safe for our people.
As a government, we will not go and get something harmful for our people, our mothers, sisters, brothers and even colleagues.
“So, people with negative conspiracy theories on the anticipated Federal Government COVID-19 vaccine should stop such nonsense and unfounded rumour.
“We are here as a ministry to safe-guard the health of our people and lead them to the right path that would continue to guarantee their health and well-being,’’ he said.
The commissioner also warned against residents going to take vaccines from unauthorised places or persons in the state, adding that all vaccinators must have due authorisation and authority paper from the ministry.
On the neglected tropical diseases, he said that the state was pushing hard to give deserving attention as well as eliminate all 20 known neglected tropical diseases, as it had actively eliminated guinea worm.
“We are sure that with the active collaboration of our health partners especially the Carter Centre within a few years, there will be nothing as neglected tropical diseases in the state.
“The ministry is committed to achieve this and reduce the neglected tropical diseases burden of our people, which have caused them poverty and lack these years,’’ he said.
The state Director of Public Health, Dr. Boniface Okolo, said that the state through the ministry had continued to create awareness on neglected tropical diseases in most rural communities.
Okolo said that the awareness had been effectively supported by the locals taking preventive drugs supplied by the Carter Centre.
The Neglected Tropical Diseases State Coordinator, Dr. Ifeoma Otiji, said that 4.4 million people are at risk of having neglected tropical diseases in the state, if there is no concerted and collaborative effort to check it.
“It is a thing of joy that the state government had started giving due attention to neglected tropical diseases through health education, awareness and active collaboration with local and international partners.
“We want everybody to join the fight to ensure that within a few years Enugu State will be declared free from all forms of neglected tropical diseases and our people will be free,’’ Otiji said.