GSPHCDA partners Gombe media on integrated immunisation
Ahead of the integrated Supplemental Immunisation Activity and Maternal and Neonatal Child MNCH Health week,the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency supported by UNICEF on Monday, held a roundtable orientation with journalists to orient them on the activity and raise public awareness on the activity.
In an address during the meeting, the executive secretary of the Agency Dr. Shuaibu Abdulraham represented by the director community and family health, Dr Maryam Abubakar said the immunisation needed massive campaigns and enlightenment for total coverage.
He said the media is a critical stakeholder in the campaign hence the found table discussion to enlighten the journalists to publish and air stories so as to create awareness to populace on the need to embrace the activity.
The Executive Secretary said the aim of the supplemental immunization activity is to reduce maternal and child mortality rate in Gombe and solicited support of the media
Also speaking, State Social Mobilisation Officer Malam Sallau Malami said the activity which is the first of it kind included the primary health care services and would commenced from 17th June to mid July.
While appreciating the media for offering air times and slots for health activities in the state SMO called for collaborative effort towards achieving the desired goal.
In a presentation on the integrated supplemental Immunisation activities, Malam Auta Kawu of the UNICEF office said many have not been immunised of preventable diseases, adding that there would be need to reach them during the exercise.
According to him, the vaccines to be administered during the exercise included measles to be given to nine months to fifty nine months old children, Yellow fever from nine months to forty four years, meningitis A from ten to eleven years ,oral polio vaccine; zero to fifty nine months, vitamin A blue, six to eleven months, vitamin A red, twelve to fifty nine months and covid-19 eighteen years and above.
He said the task of the media is to support the team for airing of messages to increase community awareness on public Heath services especially during campaigns and routine Primary Health Services.
On his part, Deputy National President Of the Nigeria Union Of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahya, appreciated the Agency for the orientation and advised for advocacy visits to media houses to solicit for more support and leverage on existing programmes.
