Group urges Niger Gov’t to strengthen Routine Immunization

Niger State Government has been urged to ensure it strengthen routine immunization services aim at maintaining its status of being polio free.

Ms.Teni Shiru, C4D unicef state coordinator stated this during a walk from Obasanjo complex to Chachanga Local Government Secretariat in the state capital to commemorate the 2018 World Polio Day.

Ms. Teni Shiru said the government has to do everything possible to stay polio free as polio is a very contagious disease which spread from person to person adding that it can be very dangerous and lead to permanent disability.

She used the opportunity to call on the Voluntary Community Mobilizers (VCMs)  in the community who go from house to house to talk to people on the importance of immunization to always refer children to the nearest health facility for proper and quality services.

Speaking,  the chairman, Chachanga LGA, represented by the secretary of the council,  Alh. Sidi Aliyu Muhammed said the council attach a lot of importance to the health need of its citizens and so was doing everything possible to support healthcare providers to reach out to children especially the under five and pregnant women to ensure that they are given proper and adequate healthcare care.

Alh. Sidi Aliyu Muhammed urged parents to ensure that they visit health facility to access services noting that the era of bringing healthcare services to people’s door step was over as such action he said has made people to pay little or no attention to their health.

Mallam Mauzo Garba, Health Educator, State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SPHCDA) said the commemoration of the world polio day especially by the state was a good one as it would help sensitize the public on the dangers of polio adding that it was better to prevent polio than waiting for treatment as it has no cure.

He said the state has done so much in term of sensitization but said there was still room for improvement especially in the over 4,000 hard to reach communities in the state.

Rotary Ohaba Isaiah said rotary has being in the fore front for advocating for a polio free world adding that they were happy that the country was more than two years of zero polio cases which he said should be maintain.

Ohobo  Isaiah said in order to maintain the status,  all hands must be on deck as health is a right of every child which parents must ensure that they do not denial their children access to.