Osun Info Commissioner lauds UNICEF on child welfare supports, humanitarian services

Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi has applauded UNICEF on pragmatic child welfare and humanitarian supports, aimed at ensuring healthy growth for both the children and adolescents.

  

The Commissioner, stated this in his  remarks, during a one day validation meeting with Civil Society Organisations CSOs and Stakeholders on the Community Engagement Guide and Maintenance on Human Papilloma Virus vaccine( HPV), jointly organized by the UNICEF Lagos Field office and Osun Information Ministry, held at the SUBEB Multipurpose Hall, Abere, Osogbo.

Oluomo Alimi, ably represented by the  Director, Grassroot and Public Enlightenment who doubles as the UNICEF Programme Director in the Ministry, Raphael Ojo explained that the  essence of the parley was to synergize with the stakeholders on the best approach to adopt for HPV vaccine awareness and uptake meant for the girls between the ages nine to fourteen in their respective localities to prevent cancer of the vaginal in the society.

     

He also enjoined the participants to take advantage of the lesson learnt and spread the  awareness on HPV vaccine as a potent means of preventing cancer of the vaginal to the people in their community, especially the grass rooters in the interest of all.

    

Earlier in his address of welcome, the UNICEF Programme Director lauded UNICEF untiring support for the welfare of the children in the society, especially in the area of vaccination in preventing various childhood diseases.

      

Also speaking, the State Assistant Health Promotion Officer, Mr Sina Akande, explained the harmful effects of not taking the free of charge vaccines meant to nip childhood diseases in the bud due to ignorant of some mothers and care givers in the society.

    

The health promotion officer in his paper titled "Reach for Action"noted that the future belongs to the properly cared for and healthy children, charging the  CSOs and other stakeholders to endeavour to channel their sensitisation through the appropriate route such as the opinion leaders, religious leaders, schools, public places like parks among others for wider spread of the knowledge about HPV vaccine.

       

In his own paper titled "Increasing a Child's Chance of Survival  in the First One Thousand Days, Mr Gideon Adegboye, maintained that, the journey to a brighter future of every child starts from the womb, through the first two years when mothers and  caregivers are expected to patronize Government approved health facilities, adopt and practice personal hygiene, intake of balanced diet, sleeping  under mosquito insecticide treated net to avoid malaria during pregnancy.

He explained further that exclusive breast feeding for the first six month of life must be observed before introduction of complementary feeding with other nutritious foods, while the child should complete all vaccination circles.

    

Speaking at the  meeting,the  UNICEF Social Behavioral  Change expert for the South West, Mrs. Aderonke Akinola Akinwole commended the Osun Information Ministry for the job well-done, stressing the need for the stakeholders to attach utmost priority to the task before them for the betterment of the society.

       

The one day meeting with the CSOs and Stakeholders afforded the stakeholders the opportunity to divide themselves into groups for discussions to rub minds on the way forward regarding the task before them.