Anambra Governor’s wife, Mrs Nonye Soludo has restated that the ongoing rotavirus vaccination in Anambra State is administered free of charge.
The Governor’s wife who stated this in Awka, noted that the state government in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF had made efforts to take up any costs relating to the vaccine, with the intention of administering it free to infants in Anambra State within the specified ages.
Mrs Soludo was reacting to allegations that some health facilities in the state are taking money from unsuspecting parents to issue the vaccine to their babies.
While insisting that the vaccine is administered at zero cost, the governor’s wife asked anyone who had been or is asked to pay for the vaccine to report defaulting health facilities or persons to the state’s Ministry of Health or nearest government offices.
She further noted that government monitoring teams are already going around hospitals accredited to issue the vaccine in order to ensure that it is not only given free but that it is given to those that it is meant for.
Assuring that anyone or hospital that is found to be involved selling the vaccine would face severe sanctions, Mrs Soludo urged parents not to be discouraged from taking their infants to get vaccinated, noting that is the first step to preventing the diarrhea-related illness in Anambra State.
She assured that her husband’s administration is totally committed to providing quality, affordable and accessible health policies that do not only work for every resident of the state, but take special consideration for women and children.