Muhammad Kabir 
…says 300,000 Not Immunize In Kano
The United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF), has expressed worries that despite the proven safety, efficacy, and availability of vaccines, immunization uptake has not always been optimal, with many communities still rejecting vaccination for their children.
UNICEF, in dismay at the situation, noted that Myths, disinformation, misinformation, and rumours, have contributed a great deal to poor immunization uptake, which will eventually expose children to high risk and death that can be avoidable when they don’t get immunized.
Speaking on Wednesday in Kano, during a Media Dialogue on Routine Immunization and the Zero Dose Campaign, the UNICEF Chief, Kano Field Office, Mr Rahama R.M Farah, said the National Immunization Coverage Survey Results have shown that over the years, Nigeria has made progress in Immunization coverage, however, it is also clear that gaps exist.
He said, “For instance, in the three states of the Northwest of Nigeria: Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa, there are over 600,000 children who have not been vaccinated against childhood killer diseases. This is closer to about 40% of the total unimmunized children in Nigeria.
Farah added that “Over 300, 000 of those children are in Kano State, representing 50 per cent of the three states under the UNICEF
Kano Office.”
“This situation is unacceptable and should be reversed urgently, as the UN agency mandated for the protection and promotion of children’s rights, we are extremely concerned when children don’t get immunized when children have no access to immunization services their basic fundamental right is not fulfilled.”
“I, therefore, urge media participants at the Media Dialogue today, and indeed every media practitioner across the country, to create the demand for
immunization and to raise awareness of the importance of Immunization by providing accurate information to caregivers, families, and communities.”
” I also take this opportunity and urge traditional and religious leaders, community leaders, and civil society organizations, to forge partnerships to
eliminate the number of unimmunized children in Nigeria.”
Mr Farah called on the governments of Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states and other States with zero-dose LGAs, to take concerted action to strengthen their Primary Healthcare Systems including, to implement the Nigeria Primary Health Care Under One Roof Policy to ensure one-stop functional primary healthcare center per ward particularly those LGAS with unimmunized children.
Similarly, they should ensure an integrated package of primary health services is provided to families in one functional health facility.
The UNICEF Field Officer disclosed an increase in strategic interventions to address the persistent gaps in human resources and recruit additional skilled critical cadres of health workers, including vaccinators, Community Health Influencers, and Promoters Services (CHIPS)) agents for immunization demand creation, Provide essential medicines and health commodities, infrastructure, electricity, and water supply for quality integrated Primary Health Care service for people.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, said they have noticed some problems with routine Immunization in Kano, but assured that his government will do everything possible to turn around every negative tendency in the State.
He said action and strategy have been adopted to ensure that the State continues with routine Immunization to reduce the negative trend and ensure the safety of the State Children.
