From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Save the Children, a Non-governmental Organisation, has advocated speedy vaccination and treatment of victims of Diphtheria, to contain imminent spread of the disease.
Its Chief Impact Officer, Ebrima Saidy, told journalists yesterday in Abuja, that on its part, the organization had commenced a coordinating and working mechanism with the Nigerian Ministry of Health, to tackle the menace.
Saidy disclosed that Nigeria had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the world and that only 42% of children under 15 in Nigeria were fully protected from the disease.
“Nigeria already had one of the lowest vaccination rates in the world, and only 42% of children under 15 in Nigeria are fully protected from diphtheria, and in recent outbreak, 80% of the confirmed cases have been found to be people who are unvaccinated.
“It is important to note that while the places visited have not recorded cases, they are on high alert and well prepared to respond should this happen, which is great preparedness from government.
“Save the Children is coordinating and working alongside the Nigerian Ministry of Health to Government to ensure we reach everyone who needs treatment, and to contain the spread of the disease.
Therefore, Save the Children calls for a launching of a wide-scale health response with mass vaccination campaigns across the worst hit areas and is appealing to donors to support the comprehensive response being launched by the government and humanitarian actors to support local health services to cope with the influx of diphtheria cases, procure more vaccines and to roll out a mass vaccination campaign.”
Also, Saidy revealed that Nigeria was among the countries globally topping the chart in early child marriage and out of school children, a social problem, he said should be addressed.
“Nigeria contributes one of the largest number of early, child and forced marriages and out of school children to the global caseload. However, all children deserve a better future.
“Early, child and forced marriage robs the potential of girls realize and release their full potentials. Child marriage erodes and dries the future of the girls, their dreams and hope in life.
“One of the girls who unfortunately end up in early, child and forced marriage could possibly be someone who invents and have a solution for some of the major challenges that the world is facing today.
“So, the planet earth needs these girls in order to be a better place for everyone to live on.
“The rights of these girls should be fully respected, protected and fulfilled – through the creation and adoption of suitable policies, strategies, and plans and making sure that those frameworks are budgeted for and implemented to transform the lives of children.
“Save the Children acknowledges and appreciates the bold measures that the Federal and State governments have taken to advance child rights in Nigeria.
“The domestication of Child Rights Act in 35 out of 36 States, is one of those major steps forward which would like to appreciate all who supported and involved in the process.
“The National Strategy to End Child Marriage, is among the major tools that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has been championing towards ending child marriage.
“The creation of National Technical Working Group on Ending Child Marriage also brought coalition of stakeholders from the government, CSOs and INGOs with an intention to drive the implementation of the strategy.
“Save the Children calls upon the government stakeholders to adequately budget for the existing laws, strategies and plans accordingly,” he added.