Jtimes
By Yunusa Isa, Gombe
In a proactive measure to avert an outbreak of a new polio variant, the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency has flagged off a polio immunization campaign to protect over one million children across the state.
Speaking while flagging off the campaign at Jamari District Head Palace in Dukku Local Government Area, the State Commissioner for Health Dr Habu Ɗahiru said the new exercise was informed following the discovery of the new variant viruses in two children in Jamari Ward.
Represented by the executive Secretary Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency Dr Abdulrahman Shu’aibu, the commissioner said “A single case discovered if not quickly handled, could lead to the spread of the disease to at least 200 children.
Dr Ɗahiru said to ensure the case is brought under control, the State Ministry of Health in collaboration with international donors and other relevant stakeholders has planned a six day polio immunization campaign across the 11 local government areas of the state.
He said thousands of healthcare personnel have been trained for the exercise to immunize over one million children aged 0 to 5.
In his address, the Gombe State Chairman, Northern Traditional Leaders’ Committee on Primary Health Care Service Delivery (NTLC), Mai Kaltungo Engineer Sale Muhammad Umar, charged parents to avail their children for the immunization to protect them against the killer disease.
On his part, the Emir of Dukku Alhaji Haruna Abdulkadir Rasheed, expressed the traditional leaders commitments to ensure all eligible children are vaccinated.
The royal fathers appreciated the state government for its commitments to protecting the lives and health of children across are state.
In their goodwill messages, the representative of the World Health Organization Dr Umar Ismail, the representative of UNICEF and GAVI Dr Jibrin Umar Muhammad and that of the New Incentive Mustapha Kabir, expressed commitments to ensuring zero polio case in Nigeria.
They emphasized on the importance of routine immunization and medical checkups for healthy growth and development of children.
