The United Nations Children Fund, UNICEF, says more Nigerian children die from vaccine preventable diseases annually.
The UNICEF Communication for Development Specialist, Dr. Elizabeth Onitolo, stated this at a 3-Day Media Dialogue on Routine Immunization, Post Polio Certification and Covid-19 Vaccination”, in Yola, Admawa State, North-east Nigeria.
Dr Onitolo said that with the emergence of Covid-19 in Nigeria, routine immunization was affected which might put many children at risk of preventable diseases.
She also noted that if care was not taken, cases of Polio may resurface I’m the nearest future in Nigeria.
On the objectives of the meeting, the Communication Officer, UNICEF Nigeria, Folashade Adebayo, said that it was to “Increase knowledge and awareness of key media practitioners on the risks of low routine immunization coverage, due to Covid-19 lockdowns last year. So the essence of the meeting is strengthen alliance and partnership with the media to support the national plan on immunizations including the introduction of Covid-19 vaccines.”
Adebayo said it was also to urged the media to increase the risk perception of the public on Covid-19 and promote preventive measures including pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical measures. And to provide the media with additional sources of information on Covid-19 vaccines to counter disinformation, misinformation and rumours.
Commending Journalists on the level of advocacy so far, the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Muhammed, urged participants at the media dialogue to continue with awareness creation for a healthier Nigeria.
He said that ”the Nigerian government was at a critical point of ensuring access to and uptake of routine immunization by children across the country.
“Even though the country has been certified Wild Polio Free, there is an urgent need to address the immunization situation in Nigeria with attention to Covid-19 and its impact on Routine Immunization and the roll out of the vaccination for Covid-19 itself.”
He added that the Nigerian government would continue to leverage on the media to promote messages on both the prevention of Covid-19 and increased vaccination.
The media dialogue is being organised by the Child Rights Information Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in collaboration with UNICEF.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
