Mr Haruna Agwai, Coordinator, Primary Healthcare Centre in Kuje Area Council, has urged residents of the area to accept the ongoing vaccination against yellow fever infection.
Agwai made the call in Kuje on Saturday in an interview at the commencement of the vaccination in the council.
He stated that the mass vaccination which began on Saturday and ends on Dec. 7, was aimed at reducing and eradicating the transmission of the viral disease in the country.
Agwai explained that the campaign was based on the 2008 risk assessment which identified 20 states and FCT as high-risk states.
The coordinator confirmed a few cases of yellow fever out of 15 reported cases.
“Yellow fever is an acute, viral, deadly and highly contagious hemorrhagic disease transmitted by a particular species of mosquitoes.
“The yellow fever campaign is to reduce the transmission of yellow fever by 95 per cent with the aim of eliminating the epidemic by the year 2026.
“It is preventable by the vaccine which is safe, effective, free and gives a life-long protection.
“It is something you must not miss and I call on the residents to all come out and avail themselves of the yellow fever vaccination,” he said.
The coordinator maintained that the vaccination would take place at all government health facilities and temporary posts in chiefs’ palaces and other places in the area.
He stated that the vaccination, which is safe, effective and free, would be administered on the upper left arm, adding that pregnant women and lactating mothers are exempted from the dosage.
The World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF aims to vaccinate 26.2 million people during the second phase of its biggest-ever yellow fever campaign as it seeks to establish high population immunity nationwide.
Yellow fever is caused by a virus spread through the bite of infected mosquitos.
Some patients can develop serious symptoms, including high fever and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), but the disease can be easily prevented by a vaccine that provides immunity for life.