By Asma’u Ahmad
The Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Agency says it immunized 3.4 million children against poliomyelitis and other child-killer diseases in 2015.
The Health Education Officer of the agency, Alhaji Hamza Ikara who disclosed this in an interview with media personnel in Kaduna on Friday explained that the agency is billed to commence the first round of immunization for the year from January 21 to 27.
Ikara who said that the under-aged children were immunized in nine rounds and three mop up exercises conducted during the year under review added that, the state government has captured 90 per cent of children targeted in the exercise attributed success of the exercise to the combined efforts of key stakeholders.
According to him, the state has not recorded any new polio case in the state since the 17th of November, 2012, making the state among the first to eradicate the disease in the country said,
“Kaduna recorded its last polio case on Nov. 12, 2012, and we hope to maintain the tempo until we are fully certified polio-free. We are happy with the effort made by the state and the nation to completely eradicate polio and be delisted in the polio endemic countries. We believe by July 2017, the country will be fully certified polio free.’’
The official indicated that, the agency would embark on massive advocacy to traditional and religious leaders, women and youth groups in order to sensitize and raise awareness among residents in rural areas on the importance of immunization also added that, the agency hopes to conduct five rounds of immunization while parents and caregivers are urged to present their wards to ensure its success.
“We have noticed that some parents are refusing to present their wards for immunization since the country had been delisted from polio endemic countries.Being delisted does not mean we are completely free, but we can move freely from one country to another appreciated the supports of WHO, UNICEF, PATH, NPHCDA in the eradication of polio and other child killer diseases in the state,” he noted.
He further commended women and youth groups, as well as religious leaders and traditional rulers for their contributions to the successes recorded.
