Not less than 50,000 deaths occur in children under 5 years in Nigeria as a result of rotavirus infection, the federal government has said.
The Executive Director, National Primary Heath Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) Faisal Shuaib who stated this at the Flag-off of 2022 African Vaccination Week and the Launch of Rotavirus Vaccine in Abuja Monday, said “Rotavirus is one of the leading causes of diarrheal disease in the world and is responsible for over 40% of diarrhoea in children.
“It is the most frequent cause of severe diarrhoea, accounting for about 215,000 of the global 525,000 under-5 mortality attributed to diarrheal diseases each year”.
According to him, Nigeria has the second highest number of deaths from rotavirus, accounting for 14% of all childhood rotavirus deaths worldwide.
He said the ” introduction of Rotavirus vaccine is a big investment due to its substantial economic impact and number of lives that the country is going to save from the introduction.
“It is projected that while reducing the associated morbidity and mortality from the rotavirus infections, the rotavirus vaccine introduction has the potential to avert over 110,000 deaths over a 10-year period.
“This vaccine is going to be given orally and will be administered concurrently with the existing Routine Immunization (RI) vaccines at 6weeks, 10weeks and 14weeks respectively. The vaccine will be integrated with other diarrheal preventive strategies, such as:
Exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life
Vitamin A supplementation
Handwashing, sanitation, and other key household practices
Case management including the use of zinc- ORS to prevent dehydration, continued feeding, and treatment services for diarrhea and other childhood diseases”..
The NPHCDA boss urged parents and caregivers to take their eligible children to the nearest Primary Health Care Center for the important vaccine and other routine vaccines that are in the system until their children are fully vaccinated.
He assured that Rotavirus vaccine is free, safe and effective at preventing diarrheal disease caused by the Rotavirus.
The Executive Director maintained that the launch is coinciding with the Flag Off of the African Vaccination Week which is a weeklong affair that improves access to basic Primary Health Care Services, routine immunization, COVID-19 vaccination, deworming, Vitamin A supplementation, medical outreach services to our teaming rural populations.
He thanked the Donors, development partners, NGI-TAG members and all other stakeholders that contributed to the success of what he described as great milestone.
Delivering a speech at the event, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Walter Kazadi Mulombo, said the introduction of the Rotavirus Vaccine provides the opportunity to reduce the number of children dying every day from diarrhoea disease caused by rotavirus.
According to him, “the public health impact of rotavirus vaccine introduction has been demonstrated in several countries with as much as 50% deaths from diarrhoeal diseases averted in some.
“The introduction should be part of a comprehensive strategy to control diarrhoeal diseases with the scaling up of both preventive and treatment packages
Nigeria, being one of the 4 countries that harbor approximately half the global burden Stands to have enormous gains from the economic impact of this introduction.
‘Immunization remains the most cost-effective public health intervention. Unfortunately, the benefits of immunization are unevenly shared. The immunization agenda 2030 and the GAVI 5.0
strategy seeks to address this gap by “Leaving no one behind with immunization”.
“This is also in keeping with the UN Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health of ending preventable deaths and ensuring health and wellbeing.
Nigeria should continue to implement these strategies to address gaps in immunization through the life course and prevent deaths.
“If we stop vaccination, deadly diseases will return, and when people are not vaccinated, infectious diseases that have become uncommon can quickly return”.
He commended the efforts of the Government of Nigeria for keeping immunization high on the national agenda, stating that immunization is the right of every Nigerian child, adding that the Government of Nigeria has sustained the partnership.
He further said, ” the investments in promoting immunization through the life course as also demonstrated by the progress in the COVID-19 vaccination is commendable
Even very significant, is sustaining the awareness creation on immunization through network engagement which the African Vaccination Week provides.
“The commemoration of the African Vaccination Week with its team ‘Long Life for All “provides the platform to increase awareness on the importance and values of immunization and its life saving potential”.
The WHO representative appreciated the Government of Nigeria for the one-week event to mark the 2022 African Vaccination Week.
He said the several events and activities will bring the message of immunization to all households and communities while providing the opportunity for all to get vaccinated and receive other high impact lifesaving interventions.
The WHO boss assured of WHO’s continued commitment to provide technical support to the introduction of the Rotavirus Vaccine into the Nigeria’s Routine Immunization Schedule and indeed other health interventions.
Earlier, the minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire said the federal government has engaged in some interventions to tackle the scourge of diarrhoea in the country.
He said the introduction of Rotavirus vaccine into the routine immunisation schedule in Nigeria will help reduce morbidity and mortality associated with Rotavirus infection amongst under five children by as much as 40%.
