By Umar Sa’id, Baúchi
About five states are expected to receive logistics support which includes vaccine, cooling system, storing facilities, commodities and technical staff from UNICEF to ensure a successful measles vaccination exercise.
Speaking over the weekend during the media parley, Health Officer in UNICEF field office, Bauchi Mr. Patrick Akor disclosed that, the combined integrated immunization campaign is targeting over 9 million eligible children within the BFO focused States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau and Taraba.
Akor further revealed that the integrated measles vaccination campaign has become imperative due to the fact that Nigeria is yet to achieve the 95% immunization coverage hence their decision to engage the services of religious/ traditional leaders as well as teachers, PTA to ensure effective vaccination exercise across the states.
He explained that Measles causes blindness in children and often leads to child deaths, saying UNICEF will partner with the five states to carry out the measles vaccination campaign.
Patrick Akor stated that they are providing all the necessary support to ensure a successful vaccination exercise especially in the Northern States, considering that the last exercise was conducted in 2022 and did not meet the target.
As Bauchi State Government Flag off the integrated measles vaccination campaign, UNICEF Bauchi Field office (BFO) have called on parents and other caregivers in the State to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by the weeklong immunization exercise to get their eligible children vaccinated against all vaccines preventable diseases.
UNICEF (BFO) also disclosed that enough vaccines are made available by the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board (BSPHCDB) with support from UNICEF Nigeria and other implementing partners in the State.
Also speaking the Social Behavioural Change (SBC) specialist of UNICEF Bauchi Field Mr. Eki George said that, since 2022, Bauchi State had not had any Measles Immunization campaign and that was why there were reported cases of Measles outbreak across the State.
Eki explained that the ongoing Measles Immunization campaign also provides an opportunity for children that have not had any, or completed their vaccinations to access such vaccines during the exercise, because other vaccines are also integrated in the course of implementing the measles campaign.