As part of its commitment to the well-being of the society, the International Association of Lions Clubs, District 404B2 has partnered 10 state governments in Nigeria to stamp out measles in the country.
This is in fulfillment of the key objective of the club to achieve a well society, thus making life worth living for everyone.
Identifying targeted states as Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Eboyin Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Akwa Ibom, the District Governor, Lion Asiwaju Ayobola Samuel, noted that the club had taken up the responsibility of embarking on a massive sensitisation campaign to educate the masses on the nature of the disease so as to enhance participation in the vaccination exercise ongoing.
The district governor noted that measles being a killer and most contagious viral disease claims about 246 lives daily most of whom were children and for those who survive the disease, nearly 30 per cent of them suffer complications such as pneumonia, hearing loss, brain damage, blindness and encephalitis.
Reiterating that the ailment could be prevented through routine immunisation, he urged parents and guardians to ensure that their children and wards take part in the measles vaccination activity when there is need for it.
“The essence of this campaign was to underscore the club’s concern for the eradication of measles and to drive home the belief and involvement in the mass mobilisation for immunisation.
“At the international level, the club through its foundation, Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) entered into partnership with organisations around the world like Gavi, the vaccine alliance, the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development, DFID and the bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
“At the national level, we have been working closely with the Federal Govt of Nigeria through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NAPHCDA, Nigerian Paediatric Society, Nigeria Red Cross Society, World Health Organisation, WHO, e.t.c. By this partnership, millions of Nigerian lives have been saved as a result of them being vaccinated,†Asiwaju stated.
He added that the club’s participation in this year’s eradication campaign further reaffirmed its strong belief in the efficacy of immunisation against measles and sustained campaigns as strategies to fight the disease.
“As an organisation, we shall continue to advance, promote and champion the cause of mass mobilisation for immunisation in the nook and cranny of the country as well as ensure that no child within the age range of nine months to five years is left out of the activity,†he said.
