By Joseph Edegbo
Kaduna (Nigeria) — About one million children below the age of 5 years are been targeted for vaccination against measles in Kaduna State, northwest Nigeria. The exercise is scheduled to begin on 26th of this month.The phase one holds between 26th and 31st October in 13 Local government Areas, while the second phase begins on 2nd to 7th November in ten Local government areas.
At a forum to sensitize Journalists on the exercise in Kaduna, Deputy Director Primary Health Care, Hamza Ibrahim Ikara said a train the trainer workshop had begun and that about 1,200 staff would participate in the immunization.
He announced that the government has released N38 million for the exercise, while the World Health Organization (WHO), is championing the provision of logistics and training as well as social mobilization.
Hamza Ikara disclosed that government plans to achieve 95% coverage, and that all the 1068 health facilities would be effectively manned, while additional new posts would be created.
According to him, no Care Giver would be made to travel more than 1 kilometer to get their child immunised in the cause of the exercise.
The Deputy Director spoke of the importance attached to Routine Immunization by Nigerian Government which declared it as an emergency in the country, and therefore stressed the need for the media to assist in creating awareness by reaching out to the community.
In his contribution, UNICEF Communication Consultant on Routine Immunization, Samuel Anumudu, noted that outbreaks of measles occur in population with low immunization coverage and that if it was adhered to, the magnitude would be less.