The Big Catch-Up Stakeholders Committee on Routine Immunization in Kano Municipal Local Government Area has officially commenced activities aimed at strengthening immunization coverage among children and other vulnerable groups within the area.
The Independent Mirror reports that this was contained in a statement signed by Sharif Zahraddeen Usman Kofar Nassarawa, Zonal Information Officer, Kano Municipal Zone, on Monday.
The committee, with support from the Primary Health Care sector and development partners, held a stakeholders’ meeting at Sharada PHC and its surrounding communities to finalize preparations for the commencement of the Big Catch-Up Immunization Exercise, scheduled to begin tomorrow.
The exercise will run continuously for six days across the Local Government Area.
Representing the Executive Chairman of Kano Municipal Local Government, the Deputy Council Leader of Kano Municipal, Hon. Ismail Garba, alongside the Supervisory Councillor for the Medical Department, Hon. Mustapha Usman Darma, assured stakeholders of the Local Government’s full commitment and support toward the successful implementation of the exercise.
They emphasized the importance of immunization in preventing childhood diseases and reducing child mortality, while calling on parents, community leaders, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to actively participate in mobilizing eligible beneficiaries for the campaign.
Speaking during the meeting, the Local Immunization Officer (LIO), Alhaji Rabiu Muktar, and the Health Educator, Umar Mukhtar, commended stakeholders for their dedication and active participation.
They expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness demonstrated during the meeting and stressed the need for sustained collaboration to achieve the campaign’s objectives.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative, Hajiya Aisha, appreciated all participants for their commitment and partnership in improving child health outcomes.
She reiterated UNICEF’s continued support for immunization programmes and expressed confidence that the campaign would achieve remarkable success through collective efforts.
Also speaking at the event, the Education Secretary of the Kano Municipal Local Education Authority, Alhaji Sani Suleiman, pledged the support and cooperation of schools within the area.
He assured stakeholders that educational institutions would assist in ensuring that every eligible child receives the necessary vaccines.
The campaign targets children who have missed their routine vaccinations, particularly those aged 0 to 23 months, as well as children up to 24 months of age requiring routine immunization services.
Additional vaccination services will also be provided to eligible girls and other target groups in accordance with national immunization guidelines.
The stakeholders’ meeting was attended by about twenty participants, including community leaders, health officials, education representatives, development partners, religious leaders, and other key stakeholders.
Discussions focused on effective community mobilization, awareness creation, and strategies to ensure that no eligible child is left behind during the immunization exercise.
The Big Catch-Up campaign is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen routine immunization services and protect children against vaccine-preventable diseases, thereby contributing to improved health outcomes across Kano Municipal Local Government Area.
