Panic Over Rumours On Deadly Vaccines In Osun

In the wake of the Monkey Pox Viral Disease that was reported in Bayelsa State some weeks ago, there was panic in some part of the State of Osun on Tuesday, as rumours started trickling in that pupils in some schools in Ipetu-Jesa, Owena-Ijesa and Ifetedo had died after being administered with unknown vaccines.

According to an anonymous tip from Ikeji-Arakeji, unknown health officials were going about administering vaccines on children in schools on Monday in Ipetu-Jesa and on Tuesday, the same anonymous tip disclosed that some pupils in Owena-Ijesa had died as a result of being administered with vaccines which had led to fatalities.

This situation has generated enough panic even in the state capital, Osogbo, as a call put through to some private schools indicated that they have heard of the news and had taken actions to prevent such unauthorised happenings in their schools.

Meanwhile, some parents in these affected areas were observed to have started picking up their wards from the schools out of fear.

OSUN DEFENDER went round some schools in Osogbo and discovered that schools especially private-owned were already informed and some of them confirmed that they have taken some steps.

The Headmistress of one of the schools who preferred anonymity revealed that her school was aware that the news making the round was false as health officials do not administer vaccines in injection form to pupils in the school and where they administer vaccines for polio, officials from the state Ministry of Health always visit them ahead.

She even maintained that such action, if it was to be undertaken, would have to pass through and get the support of the private school’s proprietors and proprietress association.

On its part, the State of Osun Ministry of Health has come out to deny that such deaths occurred and such vaccines were administered on children in the state.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Olamide Olowe, the Press Officer of the State of Osun Ministry of Health in a chat with this medium revealed that no such action was undertaken by the Ministry but rather there was enlightenment campaign going on routine immunisation.

She revealed that the State Ministry of Health had not commenced a campaign to immunise any children in school and that the populace should disregard such news.