The Zamfara State Primary Health Care Board (PHCB) has given adequate assurance that no child in the state would be disfranchised from receiving the polio vaccine as over one million children are targeted for the vaccination exercise in the state.
This was disclosed by the executive secretary of the board, Dr Tukur Isma’ala during a media engagement organised by the State Primary Health Care Board on Thursday in Gusau.
The executive secretary, represented by the board’s health educator, Danja Kurya, said media should play a key role in the success of activities of PHCB in the state.
According to him, over one million children would be vaccinated during the forthcoming polio vaccination exercise across the state.
He further explained that the integrated exercise consisted of fractional Inactivated Polio Virus vaccine( FIPV).
“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,” Sama’ila stated while he further confirmed that the vaccination exercise is to be conducted using fixed posts across the 14 local government areas of the state.
“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, as well as subjects children to untold hardships occasioned by vaccine-preventable diseases.
“The vaccination exercise would commence from 11th to 16th May 2023,” he affirmed while commending UNICEF, WHO and CDC Afenet for their support.