600,000 Children Yet to be Immunized Against Killer Diseases in Three Northwest States - UNICEF

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has raised the alarm that over 600,000 children are yet to be immunized against killer diseases in Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states.

This was revealed by the Chief, UNICEF Field Office, Kano, Mr. Rahama Rihood Mohammed Farah, on Wednesday, during a Media Dialogue on Routine Immunization and the Zero Dose Campaign, held at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano.

According to him, “in the three states of the Northwest of Nigeria: Kano, Katsina and Jigawa, there are over 600,000 children who have not been vaccinated against childhood killer diseases.

“This is closer to about 40% of the total unimmunized children in Nigeria. Over 300,000 of those children are in Kano State, representing 50 per cent of the three states under the UNICEF Kano Office.

“This situation is unacceptable and should be reversed urgently,” he said.

Farah, however, called on the governments of Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states (and other states with zero-dose LGAs) to take concerted action to strengthen their Primary Healthcare System.

He urged them to implement the Nigeria Primary Health Care Under One Roof Policy to ensure one-stop functional primary health care centre per ward, particularly, those Local Government Areas with unimmunized children.

He further stressed the need for the governments of the three states to ensure an integrated package of primary health services are provided to families in one functional health facility.

They should also increase strategic interventions to address persistent gap in human resources and recruit additional skilled critical cadres of health workers, including vaccinators, Community Health Influencers and Promoters Services (CHIPS) agents for immunization demand creation.

Farah advised governments of the three states to provide essential medicines and health commodities, infrastructure, electricity, and water supply for quality integrated Primary Health Care service for people.

He, however, reiterated UNICEF’s commitment to work with and support the governments of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states towards ensuring that the well-being of children and their rights were fulfilled and protected.

According to Farah: “Immunization is the single, most cost-effective, and high-impact intervention which protects children against illness and death caused by vaccine-preventable diseases.

“Yet, despite proven safety, efficacy, and availability of vaccines, Immunization uptake has not always been optimal. Myths, disinformation, misinformation, and rumours, have contributed a great deal to poor immunization uptake, exposing children to high risk and death that can be avoidable when they don’t get immunized.

“The National Immunization Coverage Survey Results have shown that over the years, Nigeria has made progress in Immunization coverage, however, it is also clear that gaps exist.

“As the UN agency mandated for the protection and promotion of children’s rights, we are extremely concerned, when children don’t get immunized, when children have no access to immunization services their basic fundamental right is not fulfilled.

“I also take this opportunity and urge traditional and religious leaders, community leaders, and civil society organizations, to forge partnerships to eliminate the number of unimmunized children in Nigeria.

“I therefore, urge media participants at the Media Dialogue today, and indeed every media practitioner across the country, to create the demand for immunization and to raise awareness of the importance of Immunization by providing accurate information to caregivers, families, and communities.”