The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) launches its immunization zero dose song in Kano tagged: “No more zero dose.”
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UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Kano, Mr Rahama Rihood Mohammed said While the event coincides with the Annual World Polio Day, it is also aimed at raising awareness of the importance of Immunization which remains the most cost-effective intervention to confront vaccine-preventable diseases especially in children under 5years of age.
“This Song is being launched today in Nigeria, and across West African and Central States, fittingly, on World Polio Day!
“This song epitomizes the strong commitment of UNICEF and partners in the West and Central African sub region, including of course Nigeria, to improve Immunization coverage. But the song reminds us of the job that we all must do to improve immunization coverage in Nigeria and the sub region.
“The #NoMoreZeroDose song sheds the light on the urgent and critical need for increased immunization coverage in West and Central Africa, a region that has had multiple outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases like diphtheria, measles, polio, yellow fever, cerebro-spinal meningitis, just to name a few.”
Mr Rahama added that the anthem features top music stars and UNICEF Champions from Nigeria, Mali, Chad, Cameroon and Guinea, namely, Cobhams, WAJE, Master Soumy, Sekouba Bambino, Stanley Enow, Mawndoe, Spyro, Timi Dakolo, Omawumi, Qing Madi, Kate Henshaw, and Ali Nuhu.
“For Nigeria, this song is significant because despite the progress made in improving Immunization, Nigeria continues to face challenges in getting all eligible children vaccinated.
“For instance, across Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states, we have a total of over half a million (556,750) Zero Dose children: Kano -280,281; Katsina -171,491; and Jigawa -104,978. These are children who should be vaccinated but have never received Penta 3 or one single dose of vaccination.
“Nationally, Nigeria, has an estimated two million zero-dose children. Unfortunately, Zero-dose children are at substantial risk of many diseases, including polio. We therefore need to spread the message, through this song, of the importance of Immunization and the imperative of getting every child under five fully immunized.”
The event attendance launch of the song, the Commissioner of Health, Kano State, and the Vice Chairman of the Kano State Immunization Task Force Committee, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf; the Director-General, Kano State Health Care Management Board, Dr. Nasir Muhammad Mahmoud; the Managing Director of Kano Radio Corporation, Comrade Abubakar Adamu Rano.
Others are Social Media Influencers and members of the famous Kannywood members.
Voice of Nigeria during the media dialogue at the event speaks to a vibrant Kannywood actor, Rabi’u Rikadawa, who suggested that the polio song lunched should have been in Hausa language to reach a targeted audience.
According Mallam Rikadawa, Kannywood has talented musicians that can create beautiful song with also a meaningful message for the global, adding that the Polio Song, if, in mother tongue Hausa can carry a message across the global.
Also speaking, during the media dialogue, Kano state monetary and evaluation immunization officer Mahmud Habib Maji, disclose that West and Central Africa are the regions with the lowest immunization coverage in the world.
Maji, noted that the regions has also experienced multiple vaccine-preventable diseases outbreaks over the recent years, including polio, measles, diphtheria and yellow fever.
The launching on World Polio Day, the #NoMoreZeroDose song leverages the influence of UNICEF ambassadors and music stars from Nigeria, Mali, Chad, Cameroon, and Guinea to create a significant public awareness and inspire action for immunization.
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