The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has said that over 800,000 children are denied access to routine immunisation in six northern states of Nigeria.
The six northern states are Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina and Sokoto.
The executive director, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, who disclosed this at a strategic meeting with traditional leaders of inaccessible communities in the six states on PHC delivery in Sokoto said the states lack access to or were unreached by routine immunisation due to banditry and other forms of insecurity.
The meeting was organised by the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development in collaboration with NPHCDA.
“Inaccessibility is a formidable threat to our efforts to interrupt the transmission of circulating variant polio virus type 2 (cVPV2) currently spreading in some states of the country.
“As respected leaders of our nation, I respectfully implore your majesties to consistently advocate for immunisation and other primary healthcare (PHC) services by utilising your influential and revered position in society to emphasize the significance of regular immunisation and other PHC services to parents and caregivers.
“By taking this action, we can stop the spread of cVPV2 and achieve a comprehensive enhancement in the health and welfare of our communities.
“The HPV vaccine is highly effective in preventing the most common types of Human Papilloma Virus that cause cervical and other types of cancer. We would be reaching out to you to help communicate to your communities the importance of these vaccines,” he said.
The NPHCDA boss noted that the meeting presented another opportunity to deliberate and devise strategies to tackle the challenges facing the PHC system in the zone, identify service delivery gaps, and explore innovative solutions to enhance PHC services in various communities through collaborative efforts.
UNICEF country representative, Cristian Munduate, represented by the head of Sokoto field office, Maryam Sa’id, said UNICEF has provided million doses of vaccine for the country, adding that UNICEF would continue to render technical support to Nigeria for effective health service delivery.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, represented by the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Mera, said as leaders of the people, they would find alternative ways of reaching inaccessible areas.
He noted that some of these people are in IDPs in Niger Republic and other places in Nigeria saying the traditional leaders would communicate with them to avail their children for vaccination.
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