The new leadership of the Hausa community has pledged to support the forthcoming oral polio campaign and vaccination in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, south-south Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Kwara flags-off integrated measles, polio vaccination campaign
The leader, Mr. Saraki Garba who was newly installed sequel to the demise of the former chief, commended the Cross River State Government for expanding governance to accommodate other Nigerians and Africans resident in the state.
Garba said, “we appreciate the government of Professor Ben Ayade for an all-inclusive representation and benefit sharing, which includes unlimited and unbiased access to quality, improved and effective health care for all.”
The chief also appreciated the Director General of the Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Janet Ekpenyong for exhibiting what he described as “strong leadership that has positively impacted the entire Hausa-Fulani community in the state.”
The chief promised to support the state Government to raise awareness on the dangers of Oral Polio and other vaccine preventable diseases, which affects children across the country.
“I promise you today that we are prepared to give you maximum support as always. We will ensure that we tell our people and encourage our wives and children to participate effectively. When there is health, there is life; our health and the health of our families are most import to us. So, we appreciate your efforts and that of your team,” the Sarki said.
Vaccine Acceptance
In a remark, the Director General of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Ekpenyong, who paid a visit to the newly installed chief and other members at his home, reiterated the resolve to strengthen ties with community leaders across the state to achieve maximum output in service delivery.
Dr. Ekpenyong, who was accompanied on the visit by frontline officers in the agency, noted that the close relationship existing between the Cross River government and the Hausa-Fulani community had created a wider acceptance of the diverse health programmes as indicated by recent vaccination figures.
According to her, “there has been greater and wider acceptance of health programmes in the state with most recent being the improved vaccination figures and improved indices of child and maternal mortality and morbidity.
“Our visit to you is to congratulate you for being chosen to represent your people after the death of the former leader, whose support and encouragement to us remain invaluable. We are using this opportunity to seek for your support and closer ties to enhance our health intervention programmes especially encourage the use of our facilities,” she said.
She further hinted that the state government was expanding its intervention to all communities by establishing new health centres especially in areas of greater need; rehabilitation of existing structures, provision of man power, equipment and consumables across the state.
She solicited his cooperation towards the successful flag-off of the forthcoming “Outbreak Response” (OBR1), a high impact intervention against Oral poliomyelitis targeted at children between the ages of 0 to 59 months.
Ekpenyong explained that other supplementary services for nursing mothers and the vulnerable would be running across the permanent health facilities and temporary post, while other community health officers will be deployed for home visits.
