Yobe state government has said that it was targeting 43,000 children for vaccination as it joins the rest of the world in commemorating this year’s African Vaccination Week AVW which would last for seven days. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mohammed Bello Kakuwa, represented by the Executive Secretary, Yobe state Primary Health Care Management Board, Dr. Hauwa Larai Goni Fika, disclosed this yesterday while briefing journalists in Damaturu at the flag-off of the campaign. Kawuwa said since 2011, countries around the world had been commemorating the AVW with some flexibility in their choice of activities focusing on goals of national health strategies.
“Vaccination remains the most effective way to ensure disease prevention and eradication in any given society and as parents/ caregivers, it is mandatory for us to ensure that our families especially children are protected,” he said. The theme for Nigeria is “Vaccines work, be an immunisation champion” is aimed at providing necessary support to ensure that every child is reached and immunised against vaccine preventable diseases. Blueprint also gathered that the state government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bill and Melinda Gates and Dangote Foundations in 2015 to strengthen routine immunisation which had recorded successes.
Highlights of the one-week long activities are integrated outreach services to three local government councils of the states, community awareness through airing of radio jingles, media coverage of the events at state, local governments.
