To treat 6,000 children of SAM in 11 LGs
Borno State Government, in conjunction with World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners, has targeted the vaccination of about 500,000 residents against Yellow Fever.
The targeted residents are between the ages of nine months and 44 years and living in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), Jere and Ngala, a border community with Cameroun.
Unveiling the vaccination exercise, at the weekend, in Maiduguri, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Human Services, Dr. Mohammed Ghuluze, disclosed: “The fight against Yellow Fever among the residents through massive vaccination will run from second week of July to July 23, 2023. He noted that immunisation against the fever would play a significant role in improving the healthcare delivery for the wellbeing of people in communities.
According to him, the integrated Yellow Fever preventive mass vaccination was to cover three local councils, including Ngala, a border community with Cameroun.
Executive Director, State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SPHCDA), Prof. Mohammed Arab, explained that a two-week vaccination campaign will take place at all health facilities, including temporary posts at strategic locations within the communities.
“The vaccination exercise is for prevention against Yellow Fever disease in the state,” he said. In his remarks, WHO State Coordinator, Dr. Ibrahim Salisu, said: “The UN health agency has been supporting the state government by strengthening routine immunisation to the vulnerable population in the targeted communities.
“WHO and SPHCDA have provided the required resources and jointly conducted some pre-implementation activities, including training of state and local council teams.”
ALSO, WHO has supported the state government to treat 6,000 children from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in 11 local councils.
It distributed 60 cartons of nutrition kits to seven health partners in the North East. Procurement of the kits is funded by the United States Agency for International Development Agency (USAID) and the Government of Germany.
Distributing the kits to health partners, at the weekend, in Maiduguri, WHO Emergency Manager, Dr. Beatrice Muraguri, disclosed: “The children’s malnutrition kits are to overcome the challenges of severe malnutrition among them. They were affected by the conflict in Borno communities.”
She charged the health partners to ensure the kits reach the targeted children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. While receiving the kits, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Human Services, represented by the Director of Health, Adamu Usman, thanked WHO for the technical support in addressing malnutrition in the state.
