Child Killer Diseases: Over 600,000 Children Not Immunized In North-West

Ahmad Abdullah

The United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said, over 600,000 children are unimmunized against child Killer diseases in Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states.

Chief, Unicef Kano field office, Mr. Rahama R.M Farah dropped the hint while delivering his Goodwill messages during two-day Media Dialogue on Routine Immunization and Zero dose campaign in UNICEF Kano field office states organised by UNICEF and National Orientation Agency NOA.

He explained that 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.

“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.

“Over 300,000 of those children are in Kano State, representing 50 percent of the three states under the UNICEF Kano Office.

“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” he said.

Mr Farah also urged traditional and religious leaders, community leaders, and civil society organizations, to forge partnerships to eliminate the number of unimmunized children in Nigeria.

He then call 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 System as he assured more of UNICEF’s support to the states for better wellbeing of the children.

While making his remarks, the commissioner for health Kano state, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf commended UNICEF and NOA for organizing the dialogue and promised to do all their best to reduce the number of unimmunized children in the state.