The Zamfara State Primary Health Care Board (PHCB) intends to vaccinate over 1 million children against polio, emphasizing the importance of vaccinating every child in the state against the disease.
During a media briefing hosted by the State Primary Health Care Board in Gusau on Thursday, Dr. Tukur Isma’ala, the Executive Secretary of the Board, announced that they plan to vaccinate over 1 million children against polio. Danja Kurya, the health educator, represented Isma’ala and emphasized the crucial role of the media in the PHCB’s mission.
Furthermore, Isma’ala confirmed that they would administer the next polio vaccine throughout the state, which includes the Fractional Inactivated Polio Virus vaccine (FIPV), through fixed posts across the 14 local government areas of the state.
According to the executive secretary:
“This will be administered on six to 59 months children and Nobel Oral Poliomyelitis Vaccines (NOPV) to be given to children of 0 to 59 months”.
“There is a need for parents and guardians to take full advantage of the programme and ensure availing their children to the centres to receive the vaccines”, he said.
According to him, “The resurfacing of polio cases and its imminent threat on the lives of children are what necessitated the speedy response by the board, partners, and NPHCDA to mitigate its further spread”.
Isma’la lamented the rate at which people continue to show vaccine hesitancy, stressing how the attitude contributes to negative indices on health and subjects children to untold hardships occasioned by vaccine-preventable diseases.
The executive secretary praised the commitment of UNICEF, WHO and CDC Afenet to supporting the programme, adding, “The vaccination exercise would commence from 11th to 16th May 2023”.
cc: Daily Post Ng
