By Segun Adewale in Bauchi
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has provided 350 doses of malaria vaccine plus the logistics for implementing the introduction of vaccination campaign in Bauchi State for children I-2.
The announcement was made by the Chief of Field Office, Bauchi Field Office of UNICEF, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, during the official flag-off of the vaccination by the First Lady of Bauchi State, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed, yesterday at the Urban Maternity, Bauchi.
She stressed that, “And I hope, Inshallah, the target of 280,000 children in Bauchi State will be reached with the full package of malaria vaccination four doses. That is the first dose and the second dose one month apart and then second and the third one month apart and then the fourth dose is at the booster after six months. So ideally, five, six, seven months and then 15 months of age of the children will get these malaria doses.”
She added, “But I would especially like to request in one minute all Mama2Mama support group, my sisters and Fathers for Good Health (F4H), all, to please, motivate all the families to come to the health facilities where malaria vaccine is being given. We look forward to you. You are the ones who can make this campaign successful, Inshallah.”
Nuzhat Rafique added that,”So, please do that. All traditional leaders, they are also requested to please boost the communities to come and take this malaria vaccine. And I am very hopeful that Inshallah, with the state government’s dynamic leadership, primary health care agency and all the supporting partners, we would be able to achieve our target.”
The UNICEF CFO then commended the State Government for always being proactive and dynamic towards the initiatives for the children and mothers in Bauchi State.
According to her, “So, thank you very much and today, Her Excellency, the Wife of the Deputy Governor, we are really grateful for your presence here today and it is an evidence of your commitment to the mothers and children of Bauchi State. Thank you very much.”
She stressed that,”I think today is a very important day because Bauchi is the third most prevalent state in Nigeria with malaria disease and it is one of the major killer of children. So what we are starting today is the malaria campaign for all children aged 5 months to 15 months. But all the children under 2 can be captured in this initiative initially.”
Also speaking, Dr Yarima Kucici, a World Health Organisation (WHO), Public Health Specialist, stressed the importance of the vaccination in order to prevent malaria in infants who are vulnerable to it.
He too stated that Bauchi is the most malaria burdened state in the North East subregion as well as one of the leading states in the country the more reason the campaign is coming.
He assured that the WHO is ready for the exercise as it has contributed immensely to the preparation and committed to its success.
Other partners of the exercise are Gates Foundation, Core Group-Partners Project, PATH Project and EOC who all stressed the importance of the vaccination programme and promised to ensure its success.
