The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), says that necessary and effective strengthens routine immunization would eradicate polio and other childhood killer diseases in Kano state and Nigeria as whole.
This was stated During a media briefing and orientation on the polio campaign organized by UNICEF in collaboration with the Kano State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, the Officer in Charge of UNICEF Kano office, Mr. Michael Banda has emphasized the importance of supporting the primary healthcare system.
“The country, has been declared wild polio virus free country, but the country must not have gone to sleep on this, must continue to immunised children from 00 – 5 years old.
“Urgent collective efforts from relevant stakeholders are needed to ensure that children under 5 receive all necessary vaccines.”
Mr Banda highlighted UNICEF’s commitment to ensuring that there is at least one functional Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in each Local Government Area (LGA) in Kano, Katsina, and across the country.
He emphasized the crucial role of the media as partners in progress, adding that the media plays a vital role in combating misinformation about vaccines and promoting uptake to build immunity against childhood killer.
Delivering his presentation on “Polio Outbreak How Can We Ethically Engage with Affected Communities” the Social and Behaviour Change Specialist, UNICEF Kano field office, Ogu Enemaku identified feedback and complaints, evidence-based advocacy and decision-making as some of the key elements are accountability to affected persons.
The Director General of Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Agency Muhammad Mahmoud, also revealed that the need for public education and enlightenment.
“Currently in Kano, there is a global mission presence to curtail the situation and KNSG would provide all the necessary support to achieve the desired objectives,” Mr Mahmoud said.
The state epidemiologist, Dr Shehu Abdullahi also in his presentation, he noted that the polio virus invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis within hours.
Dr Abdullahi explained that, the virus can be transmitted from one person to another mainly through the faecal-oral routine or less frequently contaminated water or food.
