…as 597 schools get vaccinated

By Kemi Olatunde

Any school that rejects the vaccination of pupils in its care by Ondo State health workers will be sanctioned.

 The Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA), Dr. Victor Adefesoye gave this warning  while speaking with The Hope in Akure.

 According to him, every child has the right to be vaccinated, noting that there is a law which mandates the vaccination of eligible children.

 He said, “the law places a penalty on those who obstruct health workers from vaccinating children in their care.”

 Speaking on the recently concluded integrated measles vaccination campaign in the state, Adefesoye described it as a success.

 However, KPG Kiddies School in Akure, Akure South Local Government Area, prevented the vaccination team from accessing the eligible children.

 The school refused to allow the health officers into the premises for vaccination, and all efforts to resolve the issue proved abortive despite intervention from the Health Commissioner.

 The school proprietress reportedly threatened to sue any health officer or government entity that attempts to force vaccination on the pupils.

Reacting to it, Adefesoye said “This is a very serious antagonistic stance against government’s efforts and policy aimed at delivering one of the basic necessities to these children. It is the right of these children to be healthy, and the government has a duty to ensure this through vaccination”.

 He added that the state carried out the vaccination between October 12 and 20, 2024, noting that extensive preparations, including advocacy, communication, sensitisation, and mobilisation of relevant stakeholders, were conducted before the exercise.

Explaining the rationale behind her action, the proprietress of KPG Kiddies School, Mrs. Margret Olaoye, clarified that she is not opposed to vaccination but explained that parents of the pupils are against it for various personal reasons.

She said, “I am aware that the measles vaccination benefits both the children and the wider population. I raised the issue of vaccination at several PTA meetings, but the parents disagreed. They said that if they need it, they would take their children to health facilities for vaccination.”

She added that “all parents presented a signed document informing the school that they do not want any vaccination administered to their children.”

Meanwhile, the Health Educator for Akure North Local Government Area, Mrs. Omotayo Olayinka, who has been working tirelessly to ensure compliance across schools in the council area, said it is not acceptable for any school to reject the vaccine.

 She noted that although Great Future Champions Model Schools in Isinigbo, Akure North Local Government Area, initially rejected the vaccine, the school proprietress later complied.

 According to her, rejecting immunisation for pupils leaves them vulnerable to deadly diseases. Olayinka however expressed satisfaction that all 597 schools, both public and private, in Akure North have now been vaccinated.

 The health educator emphasised the importance of school administrators  educating parents and caregivers on the benefits of immunisation, stressing that school heads are in an ideal position to advocate for the health and safety of children under their care.

 “If Nigeria had a policy requiring children to be vaccinated before enrolment, schools like this wouldn’t be able to reject vaccines. This behaviour not only endangers the unvaccinated children but also puts others at risk, especially with measles and other preventable diseases being a serious concern.

 “We are trying to protect children between the ages of 9 months and 59 months from measles and other preventable diseases. It’s critical that schools cooperate,” Olayinka added.