The Kogi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (KGSPHCDA), on Tuesday in Lokoja, commenced a three-day training on handling and management of vaccine for immunisation officers.
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The KGSPHCDA Executive Director, Dr Abubakar Yakubu, in his opening remarks, said that the training was expected to equip participants with adequate knowledge on proper handling and management of vaccine.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the participants were Local Immunisation Officers (LIOs) and Cold Chain Officers (CCOs) from the 21 local government areas of the state.
Yakubu said that the training would enable participants to avoid and reduce vaccine wastages through breakages, exposure to harmful temperature, VVM change and expiration of vaccines in their custody.
According to him, the importance of keeping vaccines sterile and managing them at the state and local government levels cannot be over-emphasised.
”Vaccines are given to us free but they are not cheap; that is why everyone saddled with the responsibility of handling, storing and administering them must ensure proper handling procedures.
”At the state level, the agency has been able to tackle poor or no power supply for proper vaccine storage by providing 25 tons of cold room and 100KVA solar energy.
”So far, we are keeping vaccines at the recommended temperature,” the agency boss said.
He said that with the provision and recent distribution of Solar Drive Refrigerators (SDRs) to the council areas, people to must emulate same gestures and keep vaccines stored properly.
”We are hopeful that we will receive more SDRs soon to be distributed to health facilities, where they have none but are needed,” Yakubu said.
He noted that the agency had planned such training in the past, but could not hold due to paucity of funds.
Yakubu commended UNICEF for its assistance in making the training a reality.
The KGSPHCDA boss said that a monitoring team had been put in place, warning that officers, who displayed lackadaisical attitude to their responsibilities, would not be spared.
He, therefore, urged the participants to take utmost advantage of the training to update and upgrade themselves with knowledge to function at their best.
”The state highly appreciates UNICEF and other development partners who bore the expenses of the training and contributed to its success.
”We remain grateful and live in the hope that more support will be gained in the future”, Yakubu said.