Lodwar – 26th June 2024 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
County One Health Unit, in collaboration with Core Group Partners’ Project (CGPP), has sought to strengthen immunisation defaulter tracing in the 19 border health facilities.
The border facilities, supported by CGPP, would be through enhancing community-based disease surveillance conducted by the facility in-charges and community mobilisers. They would work together to reduce diseases preventable along the international borders of Turkana West, Kibish, and Loima sub-counties.
Speaking during a review meeting, Director Preventive and Promotive Dr Bonventure Ameyo emphasized the need for defaulters to be brought back to the immunization program for completion.
“We should intensify our efforts to trace and vaccinate children who have missed their polio vaccinations,” he said.
County EPI coordinator, Daniel Erus, said that the participants should engage communities to raise awareness about the importance of immunisation and the risk of polio; one of the diseases the CGPP was focused on.
“The County is working towards ensuring that facilities along the border have cold chain to ensure proper storage and distribution of vaccines to the communities,” he added.
Loima Sub-county Veterinary Officer, Dr Erick Ontita, also recommended that each sub-county should be equipped with cold chain facilities for the storage of veterinary drugs and vaccines.
He also added that there is a need to lobby resources for effective animal disease control interventions and the One Health approach.
The discussion also focused on the collaboration, coordination, and communication between the health and veterinary teams to enhance an effective approach to delivering One Health service to the people.
The CGPP, represented by Peter Wafula, assured the team of their continued support and collaboration in ensuring that defaulter tracing was enhanced.
Others in attendance were the County One Health Unit representatives members of the senior county health management teams and community Mobilizers from the three sub-counties.
