Dr. Afam Obidike, Anambra State Health Commissioner, has corrected the governor’s wife, Dr. Nonye Soludo, regarding low immunization rates in the state.
He reported a 15% increase in childhood immunization from 2022 to 2024, surpassing the national 90% benchmark for key antigens like BCG, measles, and yellow fever.
Obidike emphasized the state’s goal of achieving 100% immunization coverage, prioritizing childhood immunization for child development. In an exclusive interview with NAIJATRAFFIC, he stated that the state government had prioritized childhood immunization.
However, he clarified that “low immunization” referred specifically to the Human Papillomavirus vaccine, which faces nationwide hesitancy, and that Soludo’s statement was misinterpreted.
This response followed Soludo’s address at the 2nd Anambra State Women Health Summit, where she encouraged mothers to prioritize their children’s health through immunization, highlighting its importance in protecting against lifelong illnesses.
“I’m not happy to hear that our state is recording low immunisation uptake. Mothers need to create time and take their children to health facilities to get them vaccinated.
“These childhood vaccines are free, safe, and effective. Mothers should see immunisation as a top priority because when your child is healthy, you are free from the stress and expenses experienced when a child is ill”, she said.
Dr. Uju Obiagwu from the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed concern that immunization coverage was declining in Anambra. However, in a conversation with our correspondent, Commissioner Obidike disputed this claim, stating that the state’s immunization uptake was not low.
He reassured that the state’s efforts were concentrated on motivating mothers to bring their children for vaccinations, aiming to sustain and improve immunization coverage.
He added, “The term ‘low immunisation’ mentioned by the governor’s wife referred specifically to the HPV vaccine, which faced widespread hesitancy across the country. We addressed this issue by actively sensitising the community and encouraging parents to vaccinate their girls.
“Again, the reference to low immunisation uptake was taken out of context. It did not pertain to regular nationwide childhood immunisations. Initially, there was resistance to the HPV vaccination, but thanks to our targeted efforts and advocacy, more people began to accept and receive the vaccine.
“Ignorance was a significant factor contributing to hesitancy about the HPV vaccine. However, through extensive education efforts, we were able to overcome this barrier, and the vaccine has since been widely accepted. Anambra is now one of the states with the second-lowest under-five and maternal mortality rates.
Continuing, he said, “Our near-zero mortality rate is a result of our commitment to providing free antenatal and cesarean section services to pregnant women. To date, over 60,000 women have benefited from these services.
“We faced challenges, especially when we launched the HPV vaccine. Some individuals tried to hinder our efforts, but we remained focused on our goal and persisted in advocating for the vaccine.”
According to Commissioner Obidike, Anambra State has seen a significant surge in immunization rates, with an average increase of over 15% across all antigens.
He credited this success to strategic investments in primary healthcare and the hiring of additional healthcare professionals, which have bolstered the state’s immunization efforts.
“Currently, Anambra exceeds the national benchmark of 90 percent for three key antigens: BCG (113 percent ), measles (95 percent ), and yellow fever (94 percent), compared to the figures from 2022,” he said.
Commissioner Obidike identified several factors contributing to the current surge in immunization uptake in Anambra State.
He emphasized the significance of enhanced awareness and education, enabling mothers to immunize their children shortly after birth, with house-to-house campaigns further boosting these efforts.
Additionally, he noted that the increase in hospital deliveries has substantially improved immunization rates, as more women accessing hospital deliveries enables their babies to receive timely immunization, leading to higher coverage.
Obidike also mentioned that, unlike in the past when some communities experienced measles outbreaks, the current administration has successfully managed and contained these outbreaks through improved vaccine availability and targeted awareness campaigns.
“ This proactive approach has been instrumental in curbing the incidence of measles and other childhood diseases in the state”, he said.
“During the August meeting, we engaged with communities across the state to discuss health promotion, nutrition, and mortality. At that meeting, the governor’s wife highlighted the importance of healthy nutrition and distributed three-in-one pap to everyone present.
“We addressed the issue of childhood diseases and emphasised the critical role of childhood immunisation i
n preventing these diseases. We stressed that our goal is to achieve 100 percent immunisation coverage and urged everyone to ensure their children receive the necessary vaccinations.
“To increase awareness and access to immunisation, we conduct house-to-house education campaigns. This approach has enhanced our outreach and improved immunisation coverage on a local government-by-local government basis. Anambra is equipped with 326 functional Primary Healthcare Centres, all of which are currently undergoing renovation to better serve our communities.
“Our efforts in boosting immunisation uptake have proven effective. While four years ago, we faced cholera outbreaks, particularly during flooding, but this year, we did not record a single case of cholera in any region of Anambra State, despite the broader cholera outbreak”, he mentioned.
