Gom Mirian
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has identified the high burden of unimmunised children as the primary cause of diphtheria outbreaks in Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States.
UNICEF added that Sokoto has the highest burden of unimmunised children in the country, covering 22 Local Government Areas (LGAs), which account for a significant portion of the 100 high-burden zero-dose LGAs in Nigeria.
Speaking at a two-day media dialogue on Routine Immunisation and the zero-dose campaign held in Sokoto on Saturday, Chief of UNICEF Field Office in Sokoto, Dr. Maryam Said, represented by Dr. Shamina Sharmin, Health Manager, UNICEF Sokoto Field Office, highlighted the severe threat unimmunised children face due to inadequate coverage.
Said called for action to strengthen routine immunisation efforts in response to these outbreaks, while explaining that the alarming pattern of diphteria outbreaks in the three states underscores the imperative of strengthening routine immunisation to protect children’s lives from the dangers associated with low coverage.
Speaking on the strategic partnership of UNICEF and the media, she notes that “it is essential to build on UNICEF’s strong partnership with the media to sustain messaging on the importance of routine immunisation, highlighting what parents, caregivers, communities, traditional and religious leaders, decision-makers and stakeholders should do to promote Routine Immunisation.
“As immunisation is one of UNICEF’s Global Advocacy Priorities, keeping conversations on routine immunisation on the front burner of Nigeria’s public discourse is essential. To achieve that, strategic and constructive engagement of the media with its mass-mediated news and information dissemination platforms is imperative.”
Furthermore, she urged the new governors in the three states to begin to see immunisation, ab initio, as a key priority in their development agendas.
Also, speaking on the objective of the meeting, UNICEF Kano Field Office Communication Specialist, Mr. Samuel Kaalu, emphasised the necessity of positive interaction between UNICEF, the press, and policymakers to guarantee that routine immunisation stays at the forefront of Nigeria’s endeavours to safeguard the health of its children.
“The collective efforts of government, healthcare professionals, and the media are required to address this critical issue and safeguard the lives and well-being of children across Nigeria,” he stated.
