By Kemi Yesufu
The Federal Government on Monday met with northern traditional rulers seeking improved cooperation in promoting vaccination and creating wider access to primary health care.
Speaking during a meeting with Northern Traditional Leaders Council on Primary Healthcare, Executive-Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib expresssed confidence that the over 4.3 million children who have were missed during previous vaccination rounds will be reached, with the support of the traditional leaders.
Shuiabu said apart from supporting immunization, the meeting was convened to further request the support of traditional leaders for primary health care in the country.
“It is the role of the traditional leaders to drive primary health care services in conjunction with their community members. The community engagement framework that we are presenting today is a direct result of input we’ve gotten from traditional institutions, from community members, from development members around how we can strengthen immunization, strengthen routine immunization in a way that every member will get vaccine they need, every child will get primary health care that they need in a way that no child is left behind,” he said.
“As part of the successes achieved in polio, we are replicating this in routine immunization, so we can get all the children in Nigeria immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases.
“The very presence of traditional leaders in this meeting is a clear signal that traditional institution, religious institution that they belong are aligned with the fact that our vaccines are safe, they are potent and should be made available free of charge to all members of their communities” he added.
Responding on behalf of the traditional leaders, Emir ofArgungun, Sumaila Meira, urged people of the region to secure the future of children in the region by presenting them for vaccinations.
It was learnt at the meeting that vaccinators would take immunization campaign to six states including Borno Adamawa, Katsina, Ssokoto and FCT.
“The dramatic improvement in polio in Nigeria, which has been sustained today by NPHCDA has resulted in the absence of wild polio virus in the country for 25 months. This positive development is not sudden, routine immunization remains very low in our communities, with many children dying of vaccine-preventable diseases. Northern Nigeria is blessed with the traditional leadership system that has deep-rooted influence in the minds of our people. Traditional and religious leaders have continued to serve the interest of our people, and responding to their welfare and needs,” the Emir said.
He called on members of the council to use their platforms to improve on community engagement for care-givers to improve routine immunization uptake and improvement of other health-seeking behaviour of their people.
He said the council had demonstrated considerable improvement in the acceptance of vaccine and had sustained ownership of participation and other public health interventions.
“There is therefore no doubt in my mind that under the leadership and guidance of Northern Traditional Rulers, our communities will attain significant improvements in routine immunization coverage,” he stated.
“The northern traditional leaders will continue to work with these platforms and supporting initiative aimed at improving the lives of our people. We will exercise oversight of the implementation of community engagement of the Sultanate Emirate, districts, communities and wards,” he added.
He assured that the group will mobilize communities and their leaders to accept routine immunization and continue to support it.
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