Lakes state governor warns against false polio reporting
By Manyang Mayom
February 23, 2011 (KAMPALA) – The governor of Lakes state, Chol Tong Mayay, on Tuesday warned officers involved in carrying out polio vaccinations against the malpractice of destroying vaccines and submitting false reports.
The governor said that reports about the previous polio vaccination campaigns have revealed that some health officers failed to carry out the vaccinations under the pretext of fatigue due to the hot weather and that they resorted to destroying the vaccines at the end of the day and submitting false reports of a successful campaign.
He told the press that officers carrying out vaccination programmes must avoid such malpractices.
Governor Mayay castigated this malpractice and called it “a big crime”, explaining that those involved are “killing children”.
The governor called for all those involved in the polio vaccination programme to ensure that all children aged five and under are given the necessary injections.
Mayay said: “You people who are carrying out vaccination, we heard report that you get tired and you start to destroy vaccinations – you are killing our children – you are killing your own children – this is really a very big crime – it is our task that all children under five years should be vaccinated.”
At the same occasion, the governor thanked the organizations involved in organizing the polio vaccination campaign among them, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), adding that his government will continue to attempt to make the community about the need of the vaccination.
He appealed to government officials to be actively involved in bringing awareness about the importance of polio vaccination campaign to their local communities, adding that the vaccine prevents children from polio disease which has no cure.
Governor Mayay said: “On behalf of government of Lakes state, I welcome you all and government of Lakes state will sensitize people on polio vaccination – prevention is better than curse and this [is] what we have done now.”
Meanwhile, Lakes state minister of health, Samuel Mayek, linked the polio vaccination campaign with the post-referendum reality, stating that the people of South Sudan have won freedom and that they have to continue battling against other forces that hinder human development, among them, diseases, poverty, and illiteracy.
Minister Mayek said that: “We are here today for launching today the polio vacation in Lakes state – it is not only day we will celebrate – we will be celebrating the independent of Southern Sudan”.
The nationwide polio vaccination campaign that kicked off on Tuesday will conclude on Friday, 25 February.
(ST)
Peter Elia Kuzee
Lakes state governor warns against false polio reporting
ARE YOU A DOCTOR?
Mading
Lakes state governor warns against false polio reporting
The governor is right people. From Tuesday up to Wednesday, people from Akuah, Makuriric, Acholtheen, Mabor-ngap, Chumbuol and in the villages have bitterly complained that they vaccination team has not reached them and days are running.
This shows that the officers maybe sitting under trees due to the hot sun and at the end since there is need for them to report back the number of children they have vaccinated, they maybe tempted to forge their way of reporting it.
However, the governor has done the right thing in a wrong place because these issues can just be handled by the minister of health. There are real concern issues that he is suppose to address. One is the Issue of poor court ruling on youth and the other is other one is the development strategy that can at least employ a third of the youth.