The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Plateau State Government has launched a Big Catch-Up Immunisation for children who missed routine immunisation due to crises in Jos North and South.
The stakeholders who converged on Jos, the Plateau state capital at the launch of the exercise, lamented the rate of kids who missed their routine immunisation, saying that the development poses serious health concerns on the wellbeing of the children.
The Director of Disease Control and Immunisation at the Plateau State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Yakubu Dauda Isha while speaking in Jos South on Wednesday, said that zero dose children are common in four local councils of the state –Wase, Kanam, Shendam and Qua-an Pan.
Dauda commended UNICEF and others for partnering the Board to address the zero dose challenge, saying that the state has been recording improvement, with parents submitting their wards for immunisation.
He attributed the disruption in the routine immunisation to crisis and communal clashes recorded in the state. “The rate of zero dose was on the high side, Plateau state was marked as a ‘Zero Dose State’ –accounting for the high rate of children who have never received immunisation in their lifetime.”
He said that: “Those four LGAs have witnessed a series of attacks. You don't expect people who are witnessing attacks to have access to healthcare services –especially immunisation. Most of them were displaced. Secondly, there was a shortage of manpower but I'm very certain His Excellency is prioritising that.”
UNICEF's Health Officer, Patrick Akor urged the residents to embrace the catch up exercise to salvage the lives of the kids who had missed their routine immunisation. He said that UNICEF is more concerned about wellbeing of the children, while commending the State agency for the partnership and commitment.
Also, the Wife of the Executive Chairman, Jos South local government area, Mrs. Mercy Silas Patrick, said that “I want to reassure you all that the Jos-South Local Government is committed to supporting all efforts that promote the health and well-being of our children. Together, we can make a significant difference in the fight against preventable diseases.”
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