Polio immunisation: We use candies, sugar, noodles to mobilise children in Kano ― Official

KANO State Commissioner for Health, Dr Ibrahim Tsanyawa, has said in the determination of the present administration’s drive to ensure health care delivery and to guide against polio outbreak in the state, the government is targeting about 3.2 million children below the age of five for the February Immunisation Plus Days Against Polio.

This is just as primary health coordinator (PHC) of Minjibir local government area of the state, Alhaji Aliyu Lawan, said candies, sugar and noodles were given to the children who participated in the immunisation.

He added that as at day three of the programme, a total number of 63,400 out of 65,000 target for the month’s routine exercise had been recorded.

Dr Tsanyawa who disclosed this while speaking with pressmen said that over 30,000 personnel had been trained and clustered into 12,000 teams to conduct the three-day exercise.

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He said: “Lots of resources have been committed to Supplemental Immunisation Activities, Routine Immunisation, health camps and medical outreach all with an aim to reach out to all eligible children.”

Meanwhile, the Minjibir local government council, PHC, Lawan, said in an effort to reach the target number of immunisation of children, the immunisation officials went to various markets within the council area, schools and football pitches to immunised children.

He disclosed that before the commencement of the immunisation, there was a lot of campaign, community dialogue embarked upon by notable personnel to various wards and villages and the residents were educated on the effect of immunisation and this made the programme to be successful.

He added that the traditional rulers and stakeholders played a major contribution by using their positions to educate and enlighten parents on the need to make sure that their children were immunised against polio.