By Peter Uwumarogie
The Gombe state government says it has targeted 1.7 million children for vaccination against measles and other diseases in the ongoing nationwide Integrated Measles-Rubella Vaccination campaign.
The exercise billed to hold between Oct. 18 and 28, is being implemented in partnership between the Federal and state government, UNICEF, GAVI and WHO.
The campaign aims to vaccinate children aged 0 months to 14 years against measles and rubella, Polio, HPV.
The vaccines protect children against killer diseases and have been used worldwide for over 50 years, saving millions of lives
Abdulkarim Aliyu, State Immunisation Officer, Gombe State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said this on Tuesday in Gombe, after monitoring the immunisation alongside representatives of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
He said that over 30 per cent of targeted children had been vaccinated as at day three of the exercise.
“About 1.8million doses of MR vaccines were received for Gombe State and we are targeting 1.7million children.
“ For now, 481,734 children have been vaccinated as of the evening of day three.
“For the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), we received over one million doses and as of the evening of day three of the campaign, 253,772 children have been reached with the vaccine,” he said.
Aliyu expressed optimism that with the large turn out and low resistance witnessed so far, the state would meet its target by at least 95 per cent.
A correspindent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who monitored the exercise in Gombe metropolis reports that there were large turnout for vaccination.
Community health workers were seen at various designated immunisation centres administering vaccines to children.
Mrs Asmau Madi, a resident of Gidan Magani, commended the state government, UNICEF and other partners for their efforts aimed at reducing child mortality.
Madi said that her children’s health had improved, minimising the tendency of them falling ill regularly since embracing vaccination with the support of her husband.
She encouraged mothers to present their children for the vaccination, adding the vaccines were safe for children.
At Bolari West PHC, Malam Abdulkarim Bello, a father of eight children, forced his nine-year-old son who ran away from school to evade the exercise to take the vaccine in his presence.
Bello, also a motorcyclist said: “I came home and saw my son, and I learnt that he ran away from school just to evade taking the vaccine.
“I take him to Bolari PHC, to get him vaccinated under my supervision.
“I am doing this because I don’t want to see him sick, I heard over the radio that the vaccine is available and good for them, that’s why I brought him,” he said.
NAN reports that members of the UNICEF team include Dr Rownak Khan, Deputy Representative, UNICEF Nigeria; Dr Kabiru Shall, Nigeria Immunisation Manager, UNICEF and Oluseyi Olosunde, Nigeria Health Officer, UNICEF.
The team visited the state central cold store and those in some LGAs, to monitor the vaccine management situation and also visitied some traditional leaders in Billiri LGA to solicit their support. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Rabiu Sani-Ali
