By Asma’u Ahmad
The Zamfara state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has launched a special programme to vaccinate pupils of Almajiri schools in the state against Meningitis.
The programme, which is being carried out in conjunction with a Non-Governmental Organisation, Himma Community Health Circle Initiative (H-COHEC), is targeting 2, 500 Almajiri pupils across the state. Newsmen report that the H-COHEC is being run by the daughter of Zamfara governor, Hajiya Zainab Abdul’aziz-Yari.
Speaking during the flag-off of the programme in Gusau, Secretary of the association, Dr Mannir Bature, said the effort was aimed at stopping the spread of the disease in the state.
“This project has targeted children in Almajiri schools considering that they are more vulnerable to the disease. Based on the records of meningitis patients we have from healthcare facilities in the state, we discovered that many of these children are being affected by the disease,that is why we came up with this project. “We are collaborating with H-COHEC rendering free healthcare services to women and children in the state,” he said.
Dr Bature said H-COHEC has donated N1 million for the procurement of drugs and mobilization of health personnel and other supporting staff to carry out the exercise in the nine selected schools.He said that the project was part of the strategy introduced by the NMA to stop the spread of the disease in the state.
