The Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (APHCDA) has initiated a campaign to vaccinate 1,258,481 children against the poliovirus. This significant effort comes after the state received 1,500,000 doses of the novel oral poliomyelitis vaccine, nOPV2, for the two-day national immunization plus days round two (NIPDs2) Polio vaccination. The vaccination drive commenced on Friday in Girei, near the capital city of Yola.
Leading the symbolic inaugural vaccination was the state Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta. In her address, she passionately urged parents and caregivers to bring their children forward for the life-saving exercise.
“Let’s ensure that all eligible children aged 0-59 months are vaccinated during this round 2 exercise,” stated Farauta, who also serves as the chairperson of the state Taskforce on Primary Health Care and Immunization.
She emphasized, “The exercise is crucial to sustain the eradication of the poliovirus among children and to reduce childhood diseases. It is an opportunity for parents and caregivers to boost the immunity of their children and enhance their overall health and wellbeing.”
Addressing the collaborative efforts, the state Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Felix Tangwami, and the Chairman of the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Suleiman Bashir, highlighted the invaluable synergy between the state and development partners. They particularly lauded the support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in ensuring effective health service delivery in the state.
