The Jigawa Primary Healthcare Development Agency (JSPHCDA) says it is targeting no fewer than 1.7 million children in the ongoing polio immunisation campaign in the state.
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Kabir Ibrahim, disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Tuesday.
Ibrahim said that the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) had provided the state with enough oral polio vaccines (OPVs) to ensure smooth conduct of the exercise.
He explained that trained personnel were simultaneously conducting the exercise in all the 27 local government areas of the state.
The executive secretary, who described the ongoing campaign as the best during the COVID-19 pandemic, said reports reaching the agency indicated that the five-day exercise, which commenced on Oct. 31, was going on smoothly.
“However, one of our challenges is that we still have pockets of caregivers who will tell you that they want this and don’t want that.
“But over a period of time, traditional and religious institutions have played significant roles, which had led to huge reduction in rejection by caregivers.
“The exercise has been successful since its commencement on Saturday, with regards to the turnout of children and there has been no record of rejection so far.
“The vaccines are in good condition; the weather is favourable; ice packing is optimal and vaccinators were fully
mobilised. In fact, this is the best outing since the outbreak of COVID-19,” he said.
The executive secretary commended parents, traditional and religious leaders as well as other stakeholders for their continued support for the success of the exercise.
According to him, the agency will conduct a two-day mop up exercise on Wednesday and Thursday in order to cover the children who might have missed the immunisation for one reason or the other. (NAN)
