DAMATURU – The Yobe State Government says it will strengthen more partnership with the World Health Organisation, United Nations Children Fund, Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation and Dangote Foundation in carrying out more sensitizations, saying it does not want to see any of its citizen with polio disease any more.
The Commissioner of Health Dr. Lawan Gana, represented by Dr. Umar Chiroma, the Director Immunization Services of the State Primary Healthcare Management Board disclosed this at the commemoration of the World Polio Day in Damaturu the state capital.
Dr. 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”.
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“It is a wake-up call to us and all the partners here including our polio survivors to help us create awareness to 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” he said.
The State Coordinator of the World Health Organisation, Dr. Hamisu Alhassan and the representative of the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Dr. Earnest Okoli who pledged their support for Yobe state Government to fight the disease also sought for the increased Routine Immunization especially among communities with the hesitancy.
In his goodwill message, the representative of Bill and Melinda Gate and Dangote Foundation, Dr. Usman Matazu explained, they made a very significant investment on primary healthcare as well 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.