Jibia LGC targets 80,000 children for polio immunisation – Official NAN-HG-10
Polio
By Zubairu Idris
Jibia (Katsina State), July 7, 2017 (NAN) No fewer than 80,000 children would be immunised against polio in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State during the fifth round of Immunisation Plus Days (IPDs).
The Director, Primary Healthcare Department in the local government, Alhaji Hamisu Lawal, disclosed this on Friday while flagging off the exercise in Farfaru village.
He said that the state government has provided 96,000 doses of Oral Polio Vaccines (OPV) for the targeted children.
Lawal said that 307 vaccinators had already been deployed to the 11 political wards in the area to immunise the children.
He said that Jibia was one the high risk local governments in the state, hence the need for the parents to allow their children to be immunised against the disease.
The director said that OPV was harmless and used worldwide, pointing out that the exercise is intended to prevent children from the disease which leave its victims with permanent deformity.
He, therefore, urged parents to continue to present their children to the vaccinators who would visit house-to-house to cover all eligible children.
He further urged traditional rulers and religious leaders to intensify efforts toward enlightening their followers on the dangers associated with rejecting the vaccine.
The acting Chairman of the council, Alhaji Almustapha Idris, assured the council’s continuous support toward eradicating the disease in the area.
He commended UNICEF, development partners, media and other stakeholders for supporting the fight against polio and other child killer diseases.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that poliomyelitis was last reported in the state in 2012.
NAN also reports that over 2 million children were targeted during the exercise across the 34 local government areas of the state according to the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
The agency also identified Katsina, Funtua, Daura, Mani and Jibia local governments as high risk areas. (NAN)
ZI/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola