In a crucial initiative to safeguard the health of children in Borno State, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has teamed up with the Borno State Government to launch a 10-day polio vaccination campaign across all 27 local government areas of the state.
The campaign aims to reach over two million children, including those residing in hard-to-reach regions.
The vaccination effort includes two types of vaccines, the fIPV (fractional doses of the inactivated poliovirus vaccine) and nOPV (novel oral poliomyelitis vaccine type-2), specifically targeting children aged 0 to 59 months.
Speaking at the campaign, the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, Dr. Aliyu Shettima who was represented by the Borno State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Prof. Baba Gana said “The vaccination team will be strategically placed at various fixed locations, such as schools, markets, orphanage homes, motor parks, and other public gatherings.”
Highlighting the importance of community engagement, Shettima emphasised the essential roles of traditional and religious leaders in achieving the campaign’s goals. He extended gratitude to WHO for their steadfast support in the critical endeavour.
Also, the WHO acting Director for Borno State, Dr. Moisule Ganga, reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to immunise eligible children, even those in remote areas.
He stressed that the “campaign has the capacity to eliminate any potential virus, including the wild poliovirus, and we are optimistic that we will achieve 100 per cent success.”
Furthermore, Ganga commended the WHO for its unwavering commitment to achieving the state’s aim of guaranteeing access to quality healthcare services.
