The World Health Organisation (WHO) has vowed to collaborate with health workers to vaccinate over 25 million Nigerians against yellow fever in 2018.
The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, revealed this at the African Launch of “Strategy to Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemic” (EYE Strategy) held in Abuja.
“The EYE strategy is a bold and innovative plan to vaccinate nearly one billion people in Africa against yellow fever by 2026.
“Yellow fever has re-emerged as a public health threat in Africa and in America.
“There are up to 170, 000 severe cases of yellow fever and 60, 000 deaths every year.
“There is a growing risk that yellow fever will spread to cities in Asia and other parts of the world; we must not let that happen we must act now.
“In Africa, 27 countries are at high risk of yellow fever epidemics.
“Yellow fever must be a priority for Africa and of course for the whole world.
“Nigeria has shown its commitment to the EYE strategy by vaccinating 14 million people since October last year including 1.2 million people in Borno state.
“With support from WHO and health partners more than 25 million people will be vaccinated against yellow fever in Nigeria this year.
“WHO was founded on the condition that health is a human right; no one should get sick and die just because they are poor.
“All people should have access to the health services they need when and where they need them without suffering financial hardships that include yellow fever vaccines.”
“A single injection can protect a person for life,’’ the WHO Director-General said.
