President, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Kayode Obembe says the association would eradicate measles by 99 per cent from Nigeria as it had successfully kicked out polio.

Obembe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ilorin that the Physician Week slated for Oct. 2015 would focus on total eradication of the disease from the country.

He lamented that measles usually occur in epidemic proportion and is highly infectious to people, adding that this condition could be preventable with commitment and support from all tiers of government.

Obembe disclosed that the disease was draining a high toll in the lives of Nigerian children, adding that it is among the disease with highest infant mortality rate in the country.

“Measles is next to malaria and those who get the disease have neurological problem, where the nerves are damaged.

“About 60 per cent of coverage in fighting measles had so far been achieved but for this year we want to achieve 99 per cent.

“We are set in promoting the propaganda, talking to mothers, the government.

“We want to reach out to them and educate them on everything about measles and prevention.”(NAN)

•Photo shows Measles patient

APC stalwart wants skills acquisition centres in IDPs' camps.

A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto state, Alhaji Abdullahi Bafarawa, has urged Federal Government and states in the North-East to set up skill acquisition centres in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.

Bafarawa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto that putting skills centres in the camps would provide opportunity for the IDPs to acquire training in vocations.

According to him, skills that will be acquired in the camps will help the beneficiaries to be self-reliant when they leave the camp and facilitate re-integration in the society.

He urged the government to do every possible to encourage the displaced persons to learn the trades, observing that some of them may not be interested in such programme.

Bafarawa stated that the skills centres would help in fighting poverty and unemployment in the region.

He also called for the setting up of temporary schools in the camps to enable children in them to pursue their education.

“Providing education to the children will make them responsible after the camp and prepare them for positive contribution to nation-building.” (NAN)

•Photo shows measles patient