Nigerian parents have been warned against depriving their infants of the opportunity to live healthy lives through incomplete immunisation, lamenting that many young persons are battling severe health issues owing to a lack of sufficient immunity.

A non-governmental organisation, One House Development Initiative (OHI), gave this warning while sensitising pregnant women and nursing mothers in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State.

The group, in collaboration with WHO Nigeria, joined the globe in commemorating the World Immunisation Week, which is known as ‘African Vaccination Week’ in Africa. It runs from the 24th day of April to the 30th of April annually.

OHI, during a health outreach in commemoration of the annual weeklong event themed ‘Immunisation for all is Humanly Possible’, disclosed that “we can achieve quality health for every child if we avail them with complete immunisation, which is humanly possible if we all apply ourselves to it.”

According to the communiqué signed by the Team Lead of the Initiative in Osun State, Tubosun Olabomi, health is a major need of the society towards building a greater nation, as no one can do anything without good health, urging that the new generation should be given the best quality health services available as a matter of right.

Olabomi expressed worry over the avoidable health issues that occur in children who are not given complete immunisation.

He said that the neonatal mortality rate target of SDG 3, according to its second part, is to achieve at least as low as 12 in 1,000.

“Only six states have achieved that, including the FCT, and Osun State stands at number seven, which is fair, but then, we can do better, like Ebonyi State with a mortality rate of 1 out of 1,000,” Olabomi noted.

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of OHDI, Dare Adeoye, sensitised the pregnant women and nursing mothers on their needs for maternal health, what to do, and how to do them, while not staying far from the primary healthcare centres in case of any emergencies or observations.

Fatoki of the WHO did an extensive breakdown of what the pregnant mothers need to do and how to do them in following up on the complete immunisation of their children.

Olabomi further enunciated on high-risk pregnancies in working in maternal health, stating the four major kinds of high-risk pregnancies, which are those that are too early, too close, too many, and too late.

Kolawole, a monitor on polio virus at Olorunda LGA, carried out a sensitisation on the vaccination against polio and the signs to look out for, like sudden weakness in the limbs, which can happen to any child between the ages of 1 and 15.

She explained some ways by which it can be contracted and how to avoid such, further explaining that the testing and treatment have been duly covered by WHO, even up to the cost of phone calls to report cases and the testing and screening at UCH, Ibadan.

Olabomi further advocated for people with disability and special needs, that they should be included in every medical effort available, and they should never be marginalised in any way whatsoever.

He said that the success of the African Vaccination Week by OHI was largely due to the support of the State Coordinator, WHO Nigeria, Osun State, Toyin Ojediran; the Primary Healthcare Board; the Chairman, Board of Trustees, OHI; and the leadership of Atelewo, Enikanoyun, and Sabo Primary Healthcare Centres of Olorunda LGA, Osogbo, Osun State.

One House Development Initiative, therefore, called on all well-meaning individuals and organisations to collaborate and find sustainable ways to make health solutions available to all.