By Franca Ofili

Dr Adewumi Frances-Lois, State Director, Integrated Health Programme (IHP), FCT has said that the five years USAID-IHP expanded technical support to Nigeria would help to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Frances-Lois said this at a one-day media engagement meeting on Tuesday in Dutse Alhaji.

According to her, the project has three objectives which are to strengthen health systems, support and improve Primary Health Care (PHC) services and to increase quality of PHC.

She stated that the purpose was to implement priority on PHC interventions to strengthen the health leadership and ward-level health systems as well as to strengthen engagement with the government.

Frances-Lois said that the programme had achieved its set goals and objectives of contributing to the reductions in child maternal morbidity and mortality in the FCT, while increasing the capacity of health systems.

This, she said had sustainably supported the quality of PHC services since its five years of operation in the territory.

“No fewer than 50 PHCs in the FCT have been supported with provision of essential furniture, beddings, designed and deployed an e-portal for Private Health Establishments.

“Health care workers were trained in 126 facilities, while on Maternal and new born health we trained 530.

“On Family Planning, we trained 477 and 524 trained in child health using the low dose high frequency approach.

“We trained 80 health care workers in 12 government hospitals on inpatient management of severe malaria, severe pneumonia and severe complicated malnutrition,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that USAID Integrated Health Programme (IHP) has expanded technical support to Nigeria to rapidly scale-up proven reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health, nutrition and malaria (RMNCH+NM) intervention.

IHP interventions were present in Ebonyi, Bauchi, Kebbi, and Sokoto states, including FCT, to supports health policies and systems.

Also, Mr David Barau, Public Relations Officer, FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), said that the benefit of the package was the basic components of care an enrollee beneficiary would receive from the healthcare provider at all levels.

Barau said that they have three types of care which were fully covered – partial exclusive and total exclusive.

He said that the scheme had commenced access to healthcare since September 2009.

“The scheme is a social health insurance that operates on the principle of solidarity, pooling of resources and risk sharing for the provision of affordable, accessible and qualitative health care to FCT residents and the nation at large,” he added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Halima Sheji

By Vivian Ihechu

 The World Health Organisation (WHO) says Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) will become the leading cause of mortality in Africa by 2030 if urgent measures are not executed by member states.

According to it, one of such measures is embracing and implementing the WHO PEN-Plus strategy.

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, joining virtually, made the assertion on Tuesday at the opening of the first International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa (ICPPA 2024) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The ICPPA 2024, holding from April 23 to April 25, is aimed at addressing severe NCDs in Africa.

It is being hosted by the WHO Regional Office for Africa, Helmsley Charitable Trust, and the United Republic of Tanzania.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that WHO’s PEN-Plus (Package of Essential NCD-Plus), is a regional integrated care delivery strategy to address severe noncommunicable diseases at first-level referral health facilities.

At the 2022 WHO Regional Committee Meeting for the African Region, the 47 Member States of the AFRO region voted to adopt the PEN-Plus strategy.

Moeti said: “We are faced with non-communicable diseases and data from low and middle income countries show that 26 per cent of total health spending was due to NCDs, second only to infectious and parasitic diseases.

“Meaning it is urgent to give these often overlooked diseases priority attention as Africa is severely affected and more than in any other place in the world.

“The surge in the burden of NCDs on our continent over the past two decades, is driven by increasing incidences of risk factors, such as unhealthy diets, reduced physical activity, obesity, and air pollution.

“NCDs are set to overtake communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional diseases combined as a leading cause of mortality in Africa by 2030. “And here, the NCDs are called silent epidemics.

“Unfortunately, this rapid devolution, with a higher mortality rate has not been recognised in the region, because we’re not investing adequately in detecting and lowering the burden of these diseases,” she said.

Moeti noted that severe NCDs like type one diabetes, rheumatic heart disease, and sickle cell disease more frequently affect children and young adults in the majority of Africans population.

She advised that Africa must show increased commitment in addressing NCDs with adequate and sustained resources.

She also said there was the need to strengthen accountability and assess the impact of interventions by enhancing surveillance and monitoring.

According to Moeti, this can be achieved using reliable and timely data at national and sub national levels to drive policy and action as we move forward.

Ms Elke Wisch, UNICEF Representative to Republic of Tanzania, said that collaboration was at the heart of collective response to tackling NCDs.

“Today’s gathering underscores the urgency and importance of addressing NCDs comprehensively and collaboratively.

“The WHO package of essential non communicable  interventions for PEN, for primary healthcare and low resources settings, and the recently launched regional strategy on PEN-Plus provides a strategic framework  for tackling NCDs at their roots,” she said.

Also speaking, Ummy Mwalimu, Minister of Health, Tanzania, said that non communicable diseases NCDs, have become a formidable threat to the health and wellbeing of “our people’’.

She urged for collective efforts to address these threats.

“They are silently affecting the lives of our citizens, our communities, undermining the progress we strive to achieve as a nation.

“The impact of these diseases extends beyond individual suffering.

“It affects our communities, our economy, and ultimately the future of our nations in our continent.

“Yet, in the face of these challenges, we are not discouraged together. We have chosen to confront these non-communicable diseases.’’

She urged for lifestyle change as positive way to combatting the negative outcomes of NCDs.

James Reid, Programme Officer for the Helmsley Charitable Trust’s Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Programme, said he was happy at the level of interest and momentum in engagements to address NCDs, especially Type 2 diabetes.

He, however, identified finance as one of the biggest challenge and hindrance.

He said that while political leaders and stakeholders identify the challenges that NCDs pose, the strategies to prevent them, especially NCD care, were limited.

“Leadership for driving of PEN-Plus is very important to make sure that ministry of health leaders and all others involved, really understand how to change the dynamics as well as adopt solutions to suit specific localities,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that  WHO’s PEN-Plus (Package of Essential NCD-Plus), is a regional integrated care delivery strategy to address severe non-communicable diseases at first-level referral health facilities.

At the 2022 WHO Regional Committee Meeting for the African Region, the 47 Member States of the AFRO region voted to adopt the PEN-Plus strategy.

It is focused on alleviating the burden among the poorest children and young adults.

This is by increasing the accessibility and quality of chronic care services for severe NCDs including Type 1 diabetes, rheumatic heart disease, and sickle cell disease.

NAN also reports that ICPPA 2024 provides opportunity to shore up international support for scaling up PEN-Plus in the African Region.

Also, the conference serves as a platform to raise awareness of severe NCDs, share lessons from countries implementing PEN-Plus and identify opportunities to strengthen NCD management.   (NAN)www.nannews.ng

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

By Oluwafunke Ishola

The Lagos State Government says integrating Family Life and HIV Education (FLHE) into the state’s education curriculum has transformed the lives of the students.

The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun, said this during a High-Level Dissemination Meeting on the Short and Intermediate-Term Outcomes of FLHE Implementation in Lagos State on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and Action Health Incorporated (AHI).

Alli-Balogun said that FLHE had empowered students with knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health issues.

According to him, Lagos localised the national curriculum and adopted FLHE into its scheme of work in Basic Science, Social Studies and Civic Education, among other subjects for easy dissemination to students.

“Our commitment to the well-being and holistic development of students extends beyond the walls of the classroom to encompass the fundamental values of knowledge, compassion, and resilience,” he said.

Alli-Balogun, represented by Mrs Omolayo Akinlade, Director, Education Resource Centre, acknowledged the ongoing challenges and complexity inherent in addressing HIV/AIDS and promoting family life education.

He, however, said that the state remains steadfast in its commitment to providing comprehensive and age appropriate education to all students, ensuring that no child is left behind.

Also, Mr Abdourahamane Diallo, Head of Office, UNESCO Nigeria, said that FLHE was approved by the National Council on Education (NCE) in 2004.

Diallo said that trained teachers had been mainstreaming content of the curriculum into career subjects with the support of implementing partners since it was approved.

“We have provided support recently to the Lagos State Ministry of Education through our o3 project over the years.

“The support included capacity building for teachers, data managers, parents, Civil Society Organisations and teachers training institutions,” he said.

He said that globally, measurement frameworks for Education for Health and Wellbeing (FLHE in Nigeria) tend to have a continued focus on sexual, behavioural and population-level health outcomes.

“For example, rates of unintended pregnancies, HIV or STI incidence, school dropout or continuation, and child marriage.

“There is a growing sense that this narrow focus fails to provide evidence for the broader potential of Education for Health and Wellbeing.

“Like how, or to what extent, national programmes influence outcomes related to learners’ social and emotional life skills, or knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and values around gender, and healthy or equitable interpersonal relationships, human rights, or healthy sexuality,” he said.

Diallo said to address these evidence gaps and gain a more holistic understanding of the impact of Education for Health and Wellbeing (EHW), UNESCO in 2022, inaugurated The Torchlight Collective.

The project was to conduct a mixed methods study on short and intermediate term outcomes of national programmes in six countries – Argentina (Buenos Aires), Armenia, Jamaica, Laos, Namibia and Nigeria (Lagos).

Diallo said that Lagos being a role-model to other states was used for the pilot study as it shows the best case scenario for Nigeria.

He commended Lagos state for hosting and supporting the conduct of the study in her schools.

According to him, the project centres on education for life skills, family life, health, sexuality and relationships.

“Specifically, the study focused on outcomes related to healthy relationships between adolescents and parents, peers and romantic partners.

“In addition, the study also set out to capture the factors that may contribute to an enabling environment for high-quality EHW,” he said.

He noted that dissemination of the findings of the study was to get input from local stakeholders as well as engender the required ownership of the report and consequent address of recommendations of the report.

“This will also inform action to strengthen the FLHE in Nigeria,” he said.

Also, Mrs Adenike Essiet, Co-founder, AHI, said that for over 35 years, AHI had been committed to promote the health, and well-being of young people, especially catalysing opportunities for their access to FLHE.

Essiet said that as implementing partner for UNESCO’s FLHE programme in Lagos, it partnered with Education District IV to carry out the study in schools in the district.

She noted that insights and lessons from the study would help learn on things to do, implementation fast tracked, and improved solutions for young people in the country. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

By Aderogba George

The National Action on Sugar Reduction (NASR) Coalition has called for clear nutritional label on infant formulas to support its campaign on excess sugar intake.

The coalition made the call in a statement signed by its Spokesperson, Omei Bongos-Ikwue in Abuja.

Bongos-Ikwue said that a recent investigative report by a UK newspaper (The UK Guardian) revealed that baby formulas now contain sugar.

According to her, the UK Guardian has revealed that Nestlé, a notable consumer goods company, allegedly adds sugar into baby formula and cereals placed in African markets.

She said that the report further disclosed that a Cerelac variety sold in Nigeria contains up to 6.8g of sugar per serving.

The spokesperson stated that “the situation is in contrast to the varieties sold in Europe, including the UK, where baby formulas contain no added sugar at all.”

She quoted Gloria Okwu, a member of the coalition, who is also the Programme Manager of Project Pink Blue (PPB), a cancer advocacy organisation, as describing such act as “criminal.”

Okwu also said “endangering the lives of children and exposing them to life-threatening illnesses is profiteering and criminal.”

She said that having different standards for producing baby formula for different populations is deceptive and discriminatory.

“In Nigeria, 29 per cent of deaths are caused by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Countries like Nigeria still face double burden of malnutrition, with undernutrition and obesity often existing side by side.

“Exposing children to high-sugar foods can encourage early formation of dietary patterns that increase the risk of childhood obesity, without resolving issues of poor nutrition.

“The lives of children all over the world matter, and it our collective responsibility to protect them from diseases and situations that could negatively alter their lives now or in the future.

“No wonder, an increasing number of children develop diabetes and cancer early in life.”

The coalition urged government to ensure that infant formula and cereals distributed in Nigeria contain no added sugar.

It also urged government to ensure the introduction of mandatory, clear warning labels to inform consumers of how much sugar, nutrients and other agents are in Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) and ultra-processed food products in Nigeria.

The coalition said government must ensure an increase in SSB tax in line with global health recommendations and best practices to reduce consumption of harmful food products.

It said that government must also ensure that SSB tax revenue is invested in public health, especially the prevention and treatment of people living with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.

NASR is also asking the government to immediately strengthen regulations in line with these demands. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Hadiza Aliyu Mohammed

By Justina Auta

Some women entrepreneurs have decried poor access to funding, investment, and loans to boost their businesses.

The women, who made this known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, said this had affected their businesses negatively and made them financially dependent, thereby contributing to gender inequality.

Mrs Maryam Sani, a dealer in local and imported furniture, said that discrimination, insufficient networking opportunities, customers, contracts, markets, as well as socio- cultural barriers affect women entrepreneurs in the country.

“Women business owners, oftentimes, face marginalisation in accessing funds, investment, and business opportunities unlike the men.

“If the government can put in some policies that will favour women, especially in the areas of access to funds and low interest rates, it will propel us to do better and you will see more women entrepreneurs,” she said.

According to Mrs Happy Moses, a petty trader, lack of education, funding and financial tools has affected her dreams of expanding her business.

“Due to lack of education, I cannot even go into big businesses or access funds to boost my business.

“To even open a bank account is so difficult for me and I am forced to use my husband’s account for easy transactions, and most times we end up fighting before I get part of my money from him,” she said.

Mrs Kemisola Olumide, another business operator, lamented the challenges women face in balancing family life, career and business opportunities.

“Although, we now have e-commerce businesses, but how many women are literate enough to venture into it or excel in it?” she queried.

Mrs Elizabeth Duile, Founder, Civitas Auxillum Foundation, said literacy, awareness, poverty, lack of financial tools and funding were challenges affecting businesses of women in Internally Displaced Persons camp (IDP).

“When it comes to accessing loan facilities or other financial support, IDPs are at a disadvantage, especially the women.

“They are mostly not literate; are not confident of their abilities; do not have bank accounts, BVN, and do not belong to cooperative societies, which will make them eligible to access government loans.

“They have low financial literacy, and from our interactions, they seem comfortable using those of their spouses or male wards, which tells a lot about our patriarchal systems,” she said.

Duile explained that her organisation had created awareness on the need for financial inclusion and given out interest-free loans and facilitated bank account opening for over 120 women.

Meanwhile, Añuli Aniebo, Executive Director, HEIR Women Hub, an NGO, said that a survey funded by the African Women Development Fund under the Economic Justice theme, showed disparities of Nigerian females in accessing funds.

According to Aniebo, only four per cent of female business owners receive funding compared to 95 per cent of male business owners.

“Social norms, cultural expectations, and biases contribute to limited access to investments for women.

“Women-owned businesses face challenges such as collateral requirements and high-interest rates.

“Despite lower default rates among female business owners, they still encounter barriers in accessing fair and equitable loan approval processes,” she said.

She said that in response to the findings, her NGO began policy advocacy, capacity building, partnerships, and technology integration to bridge the gap in accessing funds for female entrepreneurs.

“We envision a future where women-owned businesses will thrive, empowered by equitable access to funding and support.

“Through collaborative efforts and targeted interventions, we aim to advance economic inclusion and empowerment for female entrepreneurs in Nigeria,” she said. (NAN)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman/Maharazu Ahmed

By Lucy Ogalue

Dr Christopher Nwanoro, an Activist for Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs), has appealed to the government to provide free healthcare and assistive devices to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) to enable them to live normal lives.

Nwanoro, the President of National Disability Empowerment Forum (NADEF), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), made the call when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

According to him, PWDs should be able to access free health insurance and education scholarships up to the university level, as many of them still need jobs.

He stressed the need to include PWDs in the affairs of the government to ensure inclusiveness to ensure they do not feel left out.

Nwanoro also appealed to organisations, communities and well-meaning Nigerians to help PWDs with assistive devices to enable them to live independent lives.

He added that to leverage on technology, there are gadgets that can help challenged persons manoeuvre their ways and attend to their needs with less stress.”

He encouraged PWDs to embrace a lifestyle of high self-esteem because they are humans too.

“We have so much to offer towards the development of the nation.

“Being blind does not stop the brain from working; having challenges with hands or legs cannot stop the brain from working and hearing impairment does not make one incapacitated.

“For a person like me, I passed through stress, thorns and thistles before I was able to get educated and become what I am today.

“So for others, they are not supposed to pass through the same rough way that I passed; government should provide for them,” he added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

By Folasade Akpan

Nigerian Society of Physiotherapists (NSP) has advised Nigerians to engage in daily exercises, essential in preventing and treating Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

Dr Nnamdi Eze, the Chairman, FCT Chapter of the society, gave the advice on Saturday during a medical outreach at Model Primary Health Centre, Naharat in Abaji Area Council of the FCT.

According to him, health benefits to be derived from physical activities include prevention and management of NCDs such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancers.

” We are here to advise the people on why they should always be physically active, regularly move around and to enlighten them about why exercises are  important, though a lot of people take it for granted.

“We are also here to create awareness about NTDs like diabetes, high blood pressure, risk of cancer, heart disease, and even musculoskeletal pain and issues that easily lead to disability.

“Within the mix here, we have a lot of people who have some form of disability or the other and it gives us a lot of joy that we are meeting the people that need our help at the point of their needs, which is in their community.”

Eze also said that achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has become  important “and Federal Government has made it a priority to have every Nigerian covered in the healthcare scheme.

” This has made rehabilitation also take the centre stage as it used to be only prevention and treatment that were within the primary healthcare setting.

“Now we have rehabilitation, which means people in communities can have direct access to professionals, and as members of NSP, we will start by creating that initial impact.

“Our aim is to continue to create awareness about what we do, and to be able to reach out to communities and to people who have physical disability, and see what we can do as physiotherapists to help.”

Eze also said that the outreach would be carried out in other area councils of the FCT.

The Vice Chairman of the society, Dr Abioye Ayodele, said there is minimum requirement of exercise for optimum performance for people who are physically fit.

He explained that “there is exercise prescription which is the minimum exercise that helps someone to optimise fitness.”

Referring to World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendation, he said a normal adult should have a minimum of one hour exercise every week.

“So, we encourage that as normal adults, whether sick or not, you have a minimum of 15 minutes of exercise every day within the week and that will give you the recommended one hour of exercise needed to optimise fitness.

“Exercise is prescribed based on the threshold of patients.

” There are some patients who cannot even do one minute exercise, so it is prescribed based on  requirements or the type of sickness that a person is suffering from.

“For those suffering from osteoarthritis, it is difficult for them to carry out these exercises for themselves, and in that case, they will require the services of  physiotherapists.”

He added that for those experiencing  pains and could still exercise, they could do something not too strenuous and would not need to use the gym.

Ayodele said that even for those who are wheelchair-bound, unconscious, conscious or obese, they all have specific exercises.

Some of the beneficiaries of the outreach said it was a good gesture on the part of the society, as it would help members of the community access healthcare free of charge.

Mrs Aishatu Usman, a resident, said she developed waist pain after she was involved in a motorcycle accident some months ago.

According to her, meeting the physiotherapists will help her get the right treatment she needs to take care of the pain.

She commended the society for reaching out to the community, adding that many do not bother to seek medical help if they are not financially capable.

Miss Precious Awolowo, another resident who suffers from chest pain due to hard labour, said the outreach was an added advantage to her.

According to her, this is because she will be meeting with professionals whom she may have to travel to hospitals in the city and wait in long queues before seeing.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that items distributed to some patients include crutches, walking aids, wheelchairs and topical analgesics. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu
 
 

By Justina Auta

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), an NGO, on Thursday, trained women living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the FCT on prevention of transmission of the virus to infants.

The orgnisation’s Country Director, Dr Echey Ijezie, said during a one-day workshop for participants across the six area councils of the FCT, that the initiative is under the Mentor Mother programme to Prevent Mother-to-Child Transmissions (PMTCT) of HIV.

He said the training was to train mentor mothers and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) in prevention of HIV to infants.

He added that “we want to generate a good network of mentor mothers who benefitted from the prevention, treatment and care services given to HIV positive pregnant women.

“We are doing this across states of the federation by identifying mentor mothers to work in communities. And as they work in communities, they encourage other mothers to access free treatment.

“Free treatment is given to all women living with the virus to protect their unborn children. The essence is to have a generation of children that are HIV-free.”

Ijezie explained that the organisation also trained some mentor mothers in Anambra, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, Cross River and the FCT to support and counsel HIV positive women in overcoming stigmatisation and to access healthcare.

He said “if people share their experiences and are willing to talk about their status openly, it serves as an encouragement to other members of the community, that there is nothing
to be afraid of and living positively is not a death sentence.

“We want our babies to be born HIV negative. So, we’re training women and empowering them to ensure they work in communities where they live.”

Mr Steve Aborisade, the Advocacy and Marketing Manager of AHF Nigeria, who noted the gaps in the HIV delivery system, stressed the need for treatment to prevent having children with HIV in the country.

He said “it is important that we bring women from the community where they live themselves to speak to other women and get them to come for antenatal care.

“Once a woman attends an antenatal clinic, it is compulsory for her to be tested for HIV and if found positive, she gets on to the treatment programme immediately, and that guarantees that the child will be born HIV-free.”

Mrs Christy Awunor, the AHF states Nursing Coordinator, emphasised the role of mentor mothers to include support during antenatal care, HIV testing, care and treatment services for newly diagnosed HIV positive pregnant women.

He explained that “mentor mothers are HIV positive mothers who were once pregnant and have HIV-free babies.

“They encourage other positive pregnant women in communities to ensure reduction or total elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV.”

On her part, Mrs Grace Ungbian, one of the newly inaugurated mentor mothers, revealed that she adhered to the medical directives and treatment,
which prevented her from transmitting the virus to her children.

She said “my last child is about 17 years old now but because I passed through PMTCT, she is negative.

“When I see pregnant women, I try to get close to them, so that they can go to the clinic to know their status,” she said.

Awunor also encouraged HIV positive persons to overcome stigmatisation and ensure they access healthcare to improve their chances of survival and prevention of transmission.

It will be recalled that the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) during the 2023 World AIDS Day celebration revealed that Nigeria currently has 1.8 million persons living with HIV, out of which, 1.63 million on Antiretroviral Therapy. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

By Muhammad Nur Tijani

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has urged the Kano, Jigawa and Katsina State Governments to take steps towards strengthening primary healthcare system in their domains.

The Officer In Charge, UNICEF Field Office in Kano, Micheal Banda, made the call at a media dialogue and polio campaign organised by UNICEF and the Kano State Primary Healthcare Development Agency on Friday in Kano.

Banda urged the state governments to implement the Nigeria Primary Health Care Under One Roof Policy to ensure one-stop functional primary healthcare centre in every ward.

He stressed the need for the governments of the three states to make integrated primary healthcare package accessible to families in every functional health facility.

”UNICEF will continue to support the growth of primary healthcare system in these states.

”We want to ensure that at least one primary healthcare facility is functional in each local government area,” he said.

The UNICEF official said that boosting routine immunisation would eradicate polio and childhood killer diseases in the country.

He said that strengthening the system and making routine polio immunisation a top priority, was critical to the survival of the child.

”It has become important for stakeholders to collaborate and ensure that children below five years receive all vaccines.

”Immunisation is the single, most cost-effective, and high-impact intervention which protects children against vaccine-preventable illness and death,” he said.

Banda described the media as partners in progress with critical role to play in managing the misinformation about the use of vaccines.

”I urge the media to create the demand for immunisation and to raise awareness about the importance of immunisation by providing accurate information to caregivers, families, and communities,” he said.

Earlier, the Director General, Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Agency, Dr Nasir Mahmoud, said that polio immunisation campaign would hold between April 20 and  23.

He said the exercise was targeted at children between ages 0 and 59 months in Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States.

The D-G stated that the Kano State government had put modalities in place to make the campaign a huge success.

Mahmoud who emphasised the need for public education and enlightenment on polio, attributed the low immunisation coverage in the last few years to non-functional primary healthcare centers.

Also speaking, Dr Shehu Abdullahi, said that polio virus could invade the nervous system and cause total paralysis within a few hours.

”It can be transmitted from one person to another. Polio is a highly infectious disease.

“The virus is spread mainly through the faecal-oral route. Less frequently, it is spread through contaminated water or food and multiplies in the intestine.

”The initial symptoms are fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness of the neck and pain in the limbs,” he explained.

Some of the participants who spoke to NAN thanked the agency for organising the media briefing and polio campaign.

They promised to put the knowledge gained in the exercise to use in the interest of their well-being.(NAN)www.nannews.ng

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa and Azubuike Okeh