Bukola Afeni
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, has set up an emergency task force to commence vaccine distribution to the 13 Northern states affected by the Diphtheria outbreak.
The Federal Government decided this following an outbreak of diphtheria infection that resulted in the death of 20 children in Kaduna State.
The Minister revealed this at the Northern Traditional Leaders’ Committee on Primary Health Care Service Delivery quarterly review meeting organised by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency in Abuja.
Pate said the government is working extraordinarily hard to ensure vaccines and all public health measures to control the outbreak.
“But beyond the diphtheria outbreak, the fact is that vaccines work. And 98% of children who have Diphtheria have not been vaccinated. So if we can stop this outbreak, we can also see the need to, expand routine immunization. So that we should not have, children that have not been vaccinated. We should reduce zero dose children to a minimal”, he said.
The Minister said the federal government is working through NPHCDA and other development partners to introduce a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, which is a major cause of mortality, mobility, disease and death among women” he added.
Pate further mentioned that the agency is willing to work with Traditional leaders.
“We have made a lot of progress in Polio immunisation, but there are still a lot of things that we need to do going forward, including the residues of circulating treated polio virus in some of our states, particularly in Zamfara States.
Your leadership as custodians of our traditions is going to be very important”, Pate noted.
The Executive Director/ Chief Executive
Officer of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, said the agency is embarking on a comprehensive campaign to introduce HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccines in schools and healthcare centres.
“This development represents a giant stride in our ongoing mission to safeguard the health and future of our nation’s youth.
The introduction of the vaccine is the only one out of the three approaches to eliminating HPV, and reducing morbidity and mortality from Cervical Cancer”, he said.
He further sought the support of the Northern Traditional leaders to ensure that citizens take part in vaccination exercise.
” We are confident that you will ensure the dissemination of accurate information about the vaccine through community channels, educational institutions and outreach programs. We will work hand in hand with the State Primary Health Care Development Agencies, providing unwavering support and necessary resources to facilitate the successful rollout of this vital vaccine”, he said.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, who is also the President-General, of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, appealed to Nigerians to live in peace for the unity of the country.
“I am calling on all Nigerians to imbibe and embrace the culture and spirit of living in peace irrespective of tribal or regional differences”, the Traditional leader added.
