News

2.2 Million Nigerian Children Unvaccinated — UNICEF

Published

1 year ago

April 21, 2023

Editor

An immunisation report released on Thursday by the United Nations Children’s Fund finds that 67 million children across the world missed out on either some or all routine vaccinations between 2019 and 2021, and 48 million children did not receive a single dose during this period.

The report showed that as of the end of 2021, India and Nigeria – with very large birth cohorts, had the largest numbers of zero-dose children but increases in the numbers of zero-dose children were especially notable in Myanmar and the Philippines.

India leads the world with the largest number of 2.7 million children with zero doses, followed by Nigeria with 2.2 million unvaccinated children.

New data indicates declining confidence in childhood vaccines of up to 44 percentage points in some countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, service disruption caused by strained health systems and diversion of scarce resources, conflict and fragility.

The public perception of the importance of vaccines for children declined during the COVID-19 pandemic in 52 out of 55 countries studied, UNICEF warned in the report.

These factors include uncertainty about the response to the pandemic, growing access to misleading information, declining trust in expertise, and political polarisation.

The report titled ‘The State of the World’s Children 2023: For Every Child, Vaccination’ reveals the perception of the importance of vaccines for children declined by more than a third in the Republic of Korea, Papua New Guinea, Ghana, Senegal and Japan after the start of the pandemic.

In the new data, collected by The Vaccine Confidence Project, China, India and Mexico were the only countries studied where the data indicates the perception of the importance of vaccines held firm or even improved. In most countries, people under 35 and women were more likely to report less confidence about vaccines for children after the start of the pandemic.

“In Angola, Nigeria and Papua New Guinea, a child from the wealthiest group in society is at least five times more likely to be vaccinated than one from the poorest group. The children who are not vaccinated are also often the children of mothers who have not been able to go to school and who are given little say in family and spending decisions,” the report showed.

“At the height of the pandemic, scientists rapidly developed vaccines that saved countless lives. But despite this historic achievement, fear and disinformation about all types of vaccines circulated as widely as the virus itself,” said UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell. “This data is a worrying warning signal. We cannot allow confidence in routine immunizations to become another victim of the pandemic. Otherwise, the next wave of deaths could be of more children with measles, diphtheria or other preventable diseases.”

The report showed that vaccination coverage levels are decreasing in 112 countries.

“Children born just before or during the pandemic are now moving past the age when they would normally be vaccinated, underscoring the need for urgent action to catch up on those who were missed and prevent deadly disease outbreaks.

“In 2022, for example, the number of measles cases was more than double the total in the previous year. The number of children paralysed by polio was up 16 per cent year-on-year in 2022. When comparing the 2019 to 2021 period with the previous three-year period, there was an eightfold increase in the number of children paralysed by polio, highlighting the need to ensure vaccination efforts are sustained,” the report read in part.

To address this child survival crisis, UNICEF is calling on governments to double down on their commitment to increase financing for immunisation and to work with stakeholders to unlock available resources, including COVID-19 funds, to urgently implement and accelerate catch-up vaccination efforts to protect children and prevent disease outbreaks.

News

Edo Poll: LP Group Urges INEC, Judiciary to Adhere To Rule Of Law, Electoral Act

Published

34 mins ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

A pressure group within the Labour Party – Catalyst Committee – has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Judiciary not to succumb to political pressure but show conformity to the rule of law and the electoral Act as amended in 2022.

The group made the call against the
background of the legal case instituted by Barr. Kenneth Imansuangbon against the candidacy of Olumide Akpata.

In a statement by the coordinator of the group, Dr. Abel Oarhe, the Catalyst Committee noted that the call became necessary as some “money bags” were out to ensure that justice was not served and thereby subverting the will of the people.

In the statement made available to newsmen in Benin on Thursday, the group pointed out that it is only when justice is served on the matter that democracy can be deepened in the country.

It warned that any attempt by the electoral body to shift the goalpost will create disruption in the nation’s political system, thereby eroding completely the confidence of INEC in the eyes of the people.

Imansuangbon had dragged the LP candidate to the Federal High Courts in Abuja and Benin seeking interpretation of the constitution as regards the emergence of Akpata as the party’s candidate.

Imasuagbon had alleged that Akpata was not fit to have participated in the primary nor declared the party’s candidate as a result of issue bordering on provision of false information, dual citizenship amongs others.

He pointed out that the issues in question did not only breach the party and INEC guidelines, but also contravened the country’s constitution.

The group pointed out, “INEC should know that Olumide Akpata is not the only one that is in the contest but there are other 16 gubernatorial aspirants in the contest.

“Therefore, INEC and the judiciary cannot afford to be seen shifting the goal post in violation of the clear guideline and rule of law.

“The integrity of INEC and Judiciary is at stake not just the issue of Olumide but issue of democracy and rule of law in Edo State because the other 16 political parties will not fold their arms because someone is boasting to shift the goal post.

“It is sacrosanct to note that obedience to the rule of law is part of the requirement to contest an election.

“ It must be emphasize that inability to obey the law is a clear ground for disqualification. So nobody should pamper any candidate who has deliberately violated the provision of the electoral laws or INEC guideline.

“Whoever disobeys the law the consequences are there and it should be applied and that is why Kenneth Imansuangbon has gone to court to rescue the party.

“INEC must be very careful that Nigerians are not too happy but should always seize the opportunity to redeem their image when such opportunity comes up by ensuring that the law is strictly followed.

“The Judiciary and INEC should know that the people are watching and it is not about Olumide of Labour party but the entire process.”

News

Anambra: Three Ex-police Officers Bag Life Imprisonment For Murder

Published

11 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

An Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha has convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment three former Police officers for killing a 42-year-old man, identified as Chukwunonso Uchenwoke, from Mbosi in the Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.

The accused persons were said to have killed the man while effecting his arrest over an alleged assault and malicious damage.

The offences were said to have been committed on May 14, 2016, at No. 13 Ibe Street, East Niger Layout, Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state and the Onitsha Judicial Division.

After the incident, the ex-police officers, whose names were given as Juliet Ekwueme, Ugochukwu Obiakor and Raphael Chike, were said to be dismissed from the Nigerian Police Force.

The court, presided over by Justice A.O. Okuma, on Wednesday, held that the prosecution counsel proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and found the accused persons guilty of conspiracy and murder charges preferred against them, which are contrary to Sections 495(a) and 274(I) of the Criminal Code Cap 36 Volume II, Revised Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991, as amended.

The three of them were all convicted and sentenced to seven years of imprisonment for conspiracy and life imprisonment for manslaughter.

Trulaw Chambers, through her principal counsel, C.J. Okeke, prosecuted the case with the fiat of the Anambra State Attorney General.

Reacting to the judgement, the prosecutor, Okeke, described it as yet another victory and a succinct reminder that justice is still tenable with the right legal representatives.

The counsel to the first defendant, G.A. Oluwatuase, said he would appeal the judgment for his client; the counsel to the second defendant, C.E. Ezenwa, and the counsel to the third defendant, C.J. Agbata, said they need a copy of the judgement to determine their next line of action.

News

Three Killed In Abuja Community Clash

Published

11 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Editor

Three persons, including two women and a young boy, have reportedly been killed in a clash between local scavengers, otherwise referred to as baban bola, and residents of the Byazhin community, in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the FCT.

An eyewitness, who identified herself as Jessica Adam, told our correspondent that a baban bola attempted to steal a woman’s pot of soup, but was overpowered and beaten up after the woman alerted neighbours and passers-by.

The embittered baban bola then went away and mobilised hoodlums who returned at about 8pm wielding weapons including machetes, clubs, and stones and began attacking residents at random, eventually killing the woman whose pot of soup was earlier stolen.

In the attack, two others, a woman and a young boy, reported to be passers-by who unfortunately ran into the middle of the crisis, were also killed, they were, however, yet to be identified.

“They killed two people yesterday. The community has been in chaos since yesterday. The crisis continued till this morning when they killed somebody again. So far, three persons have been killed and many injured. The Police intervened and restored normalcy, but no arrest was made. The Police have intensified their patrol in the Byazhin area of Kubwa to prevent them from regrouping,” Ms Adams narrated.

A resident in the community, who spoke with The PUNCH on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the death of the three persons but said he had no clue as to what may have started the clash.

“Yes, the riot started yesterday. And by this morning, we learnt that three persons have been killed. It happened in Byazhin around that Millionaire’s Quarters, behind that Living Faith Church. That place is usually dangerous, because it is quite lonely, and you cannot pass through there alone, especially in the evening,” he said.

As of the time of filing this report, The PUNCH gathered that schools and shops in the area have been closed down, as parents scampered to pick up kids from their classrooms, and shops refused to open as of Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, proved abortive, as her number was repeatedly unreachable.