By Asma’u Ahmad
The Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Development Agency says it will focus on hard-to-reach areas in 2018 in its total push to sustain vaccination in the state.
The Agency’s Deputy Director, Hamza Ikara said in an interview with newsmen on Monday in Kaduna that the agency had discovered 422 hard-to-reach communities across the state in 2017.“As part of this year activities, we are making a total complete push for vaccination from states, zone and local government level; we want to ensure maximum progress in routine immunisation.”
Gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i
According to him, the agency was unable to fully cover some areas in Chikun, Kajuru, Kachia and Birnin Gwari Local Governments due to security challenges in 2017.“Due to insecurity in these local governments, we were able to discover 422 hard-to-reach communities which we intend to visit in this year’s immunisation exercise.“We also have shortage of manpower and inadequate funds to conduct our activities effectively.
“But we conducted routine immunisation in 1,168 health facilities across the state and it is free.”We have trained traditional institutions including the Village, Districts and Ward heads to help in providing healthcare services in communities across the state.”He added that the agency gave out vaccines to 60 private health facilities in the state during the period under review.
Ikara said the renovation of the 255 primary health centres in the state have reached 65 percent completion, adding that the government had purchased relevant equipment for the centres.“The renovation work has gone far by 65 percent and we have purchased health equipment waiting the completion so as to take them there.”
The deputy director added that three cold store rooms have been provided at the agency’s zonal centres while plans were on to employ all cadres of health personnel.
