The Kwara State Government has directed Directors of Personnel Management (DPM), in all the 16 Local Government Areas of the state to play active role in the drive to eradicate polio and other immune diseases.
The state Deputy Governor, Mr Kayode Alabi said this at a meeting with the DPM on Saturday in Ilorin.
Alabi, who said the meeting was to review the progress of the Primary Health Care and the immunisation exercise, called on them to mobilise their people to ensure the success of the programme.
The Deputy Governor, who is the Chairman of the State Task Force on Immunisation, urged them to cooperate with the state government to exterminate polio and other diseases in the state.
He implored the people to take the issue of immunisation seriously and encourage their children to be vaccinated during the immunisation period.
He said that the state government was determined to improve the health sector, hence the attention given to the payment of counterpart funds, among others.
Alabi commended the various stakeholders for their support and assistance in ensuring the success of the programme.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Rhoda Ajiboye, called on the DPM to accord priority to immunisation and open the necessary accounts to benefit from the intervention fund.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Hajiya Ajibike Katibi noted that the DPM had critical roles to play to make the state Polio free.
She appealed to them not to shun their responsibilities.
The State Coordinator, National Primary Health Care Development, Mrs Bolatito Oladipo and the World Health Organisation State Coordinator, Mr Mustapha Katibi commended the positive disposition and giant stride achieved by the state government in the health sector.
They pledged their support to ensure the success of the programme.
The Executive Secretary of the Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Bimbola Folorunsho, commended the state government for the prompt release of its counterpart funds and the political commitment to make the exercise a huge success.
Folorunsho, who was represented by Dr Micheal Oguntoye, gave analysis on the performance of the local governments and called on the state government to provide vehicles, boats and life jackets to effectively cover the riverine areas.
Responding, the Chairman of the DPM Forum, Alhaji Abdulkareem Yekeen pledged their readiness to complement the effort of the state government to achieve the desired result.
