Government releases N22m counterpart fund for vaccination in Kebbi

Kebbi Government has released N22 million as counterpart fund for 2017 measles campaign activities in the state, Munir Jega, Executive Secretary, Kebbi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, said.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday that development partners in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Health had also released their fund through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

He explained that immunization programmes were usually funded by Federal Government, development partners and states.

According to him, the state has complied with all directives of NPHCDA.

He added that Kebbi Government wanted to ensure that caregivers did not go more than a kilometer to access vaccination.

He said ”measles vaccination is one the most sensitive vaccination and it requires a health worker to administer it effectively.”

Jega noted that the Kebbi Government had assessed its cold chain facilities and human resource to stagger the implementation of the campaign for effective coverage.

He said staggering the exercise due to either shortage of manpower or inadequate facilities was part of the recommendations of NPHCDA to ensure that no eligible child was left out.

“To effectively maintain standard during the exercise, Kebbi Government had to split the exercise into phases to enable it to move its human recourses and facilities across the state,’’ he said.

He added that NPHCDA encouraged states in the northwest to split the exercise into phases for effective coverage.

The executive secretary said the first phase of the exercise commenced on Nov. 9 and would end on Nov. 14.

According to him, the 11 local governments to benefit from the first phase of the exercise are Bagudo Dandi, Danko Wasagu, Fakai, Koko Besse, Ngaski, Sakaba, Suru, Yauri and Zuru.

He added that the state government would review the exercise before the commencement of the second phase on Nov. 19 and would end on Nov. 24.

Jega said the second phase of the exercise would be conducted in Aliero, Arewa, Argungu, Augie, Birnin Kebbi, Bunza, Gwandu, Jega, Kalgo, and Maiyama local governments.

He added that 850,000 children aged between nine months and 59 months were expected to be vaccinated at the end of the exercise.

The Federal Government had inaugurated the 2017/2018 National measles campaign.