By; SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
World Health Organization (WHO) has said that it targets 2.5 million children for the 2024 third routine immunization against polio in Borno State.
The WHO Borno State Coordinator, Dr. Ibrahim Salisu disclosed this on Monday in Maiduguri at the flag-off of the Polio Outbreak Response (OBR) Vaccination Campaign held at the District Head of Old Maiduguri (Ajari) palace..
He added that WHO will continue to support Borno State Government in health matters to improve the healthcare delivery services system of the state to the people while revealing that so far WHO has supported the state government on health and medical workers trainings, provided sophisticated equipments and tools alongside other facilities towards improving primary and secondary healthcare services in the state.
The WHO Coordinator further appealed to the health workers and staff handling the polio immunization and other services across the state to work in synergy with the LGAs workers and other partners during implementation and administration of the polio immunization exercise.
He also called on the community leaders, religious and others to support the health workers immunize their children while assuring continuous support to the state government on any health matter or emergency.
Salisu commended the Borno government’s commitment to quality health care despite the recent devastating flood incident , noting that, the OBR immunization camping was organised by the Borno Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with WHO and other partners such UNICEF, AFNET, Rotary International, etc.
“We are gathered here to flag off the House-to-House polio vaccination campaign targeting about 2, 556, 423 eligible children for polio vaccination across the state.
“Early this year, we implemented two rounds of vaccination campaign to respond to a polio outbreak with remarkable successes.
“This is yet another opportunity for us to vaccinate our children, protect them, and interrupt the transmission of the vaccine-derived polio virus.
“For this campaign, WHO has supported the government of Borno in providing technical support, data tools, and training to 3,903 vaccination team members,” Salisu said.
According to him, the team comprised of 1,935 house-to-house vaccination teams, 622 fixed post vaccinators, 368 special teams to vaccinate children outside houses, streets, markets and open spaces as well as 45 Reaching Every Settlement (RES) team.
“The RES team is a strategy for accessing children in security-compromised settlements with the support of hunters and Civilian Joint Task Force.
“We also have 960 Directly Observed Polio Vaccination (DOPV) teams, they vaccinate children in high-risk and densely populated communities.
“WHO is also paying for the logistics and stipend for all the vaccination teams in the 27 local government areas,” Salisu said
Dr. Salisu however urged all the immunization teams, traditional and religious leaders to ensure that all eligible children were vaccinated at the end of the exercise.
In his remark, the Executive Secretary, Borno Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Mohammed Arab Alhaji, said polio immunization is a critical exercise and important towards the advancement , promotion, development and enhance health of the people, particularly that of children under five years.
The Executive Secretary who was represented by the Director of Disease Control and Inspection (DDC & I), Hajiya Fatima Ali noted that polio vaccination, is essential while recognizing the support and role of WHO and other partners in containing the disease in the state so far at the lowest level
“The Polio vaccination in Borno is a landmark achievement in our public health efforts. It underscores our commitment to interrupt transmission of the virus and protect the health of our population.
“I urge the health professionals, community leaders, parents, guardians and all other stakeholders to support the polio vaccination among other primary health care services.
“Together, we can interrupt transmission, save lives, and build a healthier future for our children,” Alhaji said.N WE
Goodwill messages were made by some partners assuring continuous support to enhance healthcare delivery services in the state from the Representatives of AFNET, UNICEF, Rotari International and Jere LGC Executive Chair person, Hajiya Inna Galadima while the District Head of Old Maiduguri (Ajari), Alhaji Ajiya Abba in his remark appreciated and commended WHO and other partners for the flag off of the immunization campaign in his domain, calling in gis subjects to come out with their children for the vaccination.
