RIVERS DEPUTY GOVERNOR, IPALIBO BANIGO LISTS BENEFITS OF VACCINATING CHILDREN

The Deputy Governor of Rivers State, (Dr) Mrs. IPALIPBO HARRY BANIGO has again said that vaccines are about the greatest advances in global healthcare and development.

Dr. Banigo reiterated this while speaking at the 2022 First Quarterly Meeting of the Rivers State Task Force on Immunization and Primary Healthcare at Government House Port Harcourt on Monday, 17th January 2022.

The Deputy Governor, Ho is a Public Health Physician said: “Vaccinated children do not only do better at school but the economic benefits of it are like ripples that cut across the communities and that is why vaccines are the most cost effect means of advancing global welfare”.

Dr. Banigo, who is also the Chairman of the State Task Force on Immunization and Primary Healthcare, revealed that the Task Force sustains and implements effective immunization policies within the context of other Primary Healthcare Services, adding that the primary healthcare services reinforce one another.

“It will not just be right thinking, if we only do immunization and leave out health education, maternal services, child health services and others, so this is what we try to do to enhance the expertise, the skills and the tools we need to achieve our goals”.

She emphasized Governor NYESOM WIKE’S determination to reduce the disease burden of the Rivers people was not negotiable.

She also said that Governor WIKE is passionate about attaining Universal Health Coverage for Rivers People.

Furthermore, she expressed gratitude to the members of the Task Force for their robust participation over the years, cooperation from the field, the MDAs and the health workers as well as the developmental partners, NGOs, the media and the religious groups.