The Jigawa Government has targeted 3.1 million children from the 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state for the October Integrated Measles-Rubella Polio Vaccination in Kano.
Mr Shehu Ibrahim, the state Immunisation Office (SIO) of the Jigawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (JSPHDA), made this known while addressing newsmen ahead of the 12-day exercise, begining on Monday.
Ibrahim said out of the targeted number of children, 1.5 million would be vaccinated against polio.
The immunisation officer added that children between nine months and 14 years will receive the MR vaccination, between zero and nine months will receive the Novel Oral Poliomyelitis (polio type/nOPV) vaccination.
He also said that children between zero and 23 months will benefit from Routine Immunisation (RI) and those who are nine years will receive the Human Papillomavirus Infection (HPV) vaccination.
”We have 150 teams ready for the exercise across the 288 wards in the 27 LGAs of the state.
“In our strategy for implementation, we plan to use schools and tertiary health facilities as fixed posts. We will also use schools, worship palaces, markets, banks, as well as nomads and border settlements as temporary fixed posts.
“Another strategy is the house-to-house, where sweep teams will begin working to search for children who might have missed the polio vaccine.”he said.
In his presentation, UNICEF Project Facilitator in the state, Mr Shuaibu Jibrin, highlighted the roles of journalists in the successful conduct of the exercise.
Jibril listed accurate information destination, creating awareness and demand, community sensitization, addressing misinformation, advocacy and influence, mobilising action, as well as monitoring and reporting on the campaigned.
Also, Dr Kabir Mustafa, the Coordinator of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency in the state, urged the participants to disseminate adequate and accurate information about the campaign, counter misinformation and disinformation with genuine information that will ensure active community participation in the exercise. (NAN)
