Children right to immunization access in n/east- UNICEF
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Children right to immunization access in N/EAST and other health services was a fundamental human right.
Phuong Nguyen, UNICEF Chief of Field Office Maiduguri, Borno State, said this in a statement on Thursday.
“Data from the World Health Organisation shows that as a result of access constraints, 14 million infants did not receive their first dose of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis in 2019. Another 5.7 million infants were only partially immunized,” she said.
Nguyen said 60 per cent of the 19.7 million children live in 10 countries of the world including Nigeria and described the development as sad.
Protecting access to immunization services for children has a direct impact on their wellbeing and national development.
“Immunization is the foundation to children’s health and if children are immunized, they will do well in school and develop immunity against opportunistic diseases,” she added.
She urged all to protect children now so that they can in turn protect their parents and guardians in their old age.
She noted that the COVID-19 pandemic was shrinking access to routine health services. “The escalating conflict in the north-east will erase the windows of opportunities that are still available.”
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