WHO, Borno commences polio vaccination

World Health Organisation (WHO)  and the Borno State Government have commenced a 10-day polio vaccination campaign across the 27 local government areas of the state. The vaccination campaign is targeting over two million children across the states, including those situated in hard-to-reach areas.

READ ALSO: Jigawa state targets 1.7m children for polio immunisation

The vaccines to be administered are in two types – fIPV which stands for fractional doses of the inactivated poliovirus vaccine, and nOPV which stands for novel oral poliomyelitis (polio) vaccine type-2 meant to target children 0-59 months.

Speaking at the beginning of the campaign, Borno State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Prof. Baba M. Gana, who was represented by the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, Dr Aliyu Shettima, said, the vaccination team would be situated in a fixed and strategic locations including schools, markets, orphanage homes, motor parks, and other public gatherings.

Shettima said traditional and religious leaders would also play a vital role in achieving the overall objective of this campaign, as he thanked the WHO for their continued support.

The WHO acting Director for Borno State, Dr Moisule Hussaini Ganga, said, “The World Health Organisation will continue to support the state government to immunise eligible children, including those in hard-to-reach locations. This campaign has the capacity to eliminate any potential virus, including the wild poliovirus, and we are optimistic that we will achieve 100 per cent success.”

He however commended the WHO for remaining committed to the state’s objective of ensuring access to quality health services.

PUNCH/Wumi