The Yobe State Government says it will strengthen more partnerships with the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children Fund, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Dangote Foundation in carrying out more sensitisation on the dangers of poliomyelitis disease in the state.
The Yobe State Commissioner of Health Lawan Gana represented by Umar Chiroma, the Director of Immunisation Services of the State Primary Healthcare Management Board disclosed this at the commemoration of the World Polio Day in Damaturu the state capital.
Chiroma explained the recent outbreak of poliomyelitis in four local government areas of the state has become an issue of concern and the government will not fold its arms to allow the disease to spread.
“It was unfortunate we had about four or five cases of polio that makes us feel we need to do more in reaching the people to create awareness. Three LGAs of Machina, Bursari, Gujba, and Yusufari, Bursari, and Gulani have reported cases of circulating virus polio disease,” Chiroma said.
“It is a wake-up call to us and all the partners here including our polio survivors to help us create awareness for the people. They have seen the effect of it and we do not want any child to have this kind of problem in Yobe state and Nigeria.”
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The State Coordinator of the World Health Organisation, Hamisu Alhassan, and the representative of the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Earnest Okoli, who pledged their support for the Yobe state Government to fight the disease also sought increased routine immunization, especially among communities with the hesitancy.
In his goodwill message, the representative of Bill and Melinda Gates and Dangote Foundation, Usman Matazu, explained that they made a very significant investment in primary healthcare as well as polio vaccination with other partners to ensure all children are vaccinated.
He called on the state government, other partners, and communities in the state to cooperate with them in eradicating the polio disease, stressing that it is not a one-man show, all hands must be on deck to succeed.
Highlights of the commemoration was road work by the government officials, partners as well as survivors of the polio disease.