The Kaduna State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving child health outcomes through sustained immunization campaigns, as the state record a significant milestone of 103 percent coverage during its last vaccination exercise.
This was disclosed by the Health Education Officer of the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, Mallam Isa Yushau during a mass mobilization dialogue with journalists, social media and youth influencers, as well as U-Reporters organized to strengthen public awareness and participation in immunization activities.
Mallam Isa Yushau explained that in April this year, a total of 27,000 settlements were targeted for vaccination. Out of these, 76 percent were well covered, 15 percent recorded average coverage, while 9 percent were identified as poorly covered.
He further revealed that 2.8 million children were vaccinated against a target of 2.7 million, representing 103 percent performance. Despite the success, he noted that about 13,000 non-compliance cases were recorded, mostly in Igabi, Kaduna North and Kubau Local Government Areas.
According to him, efforts by health workers and stakeholders led to the resolution of about 40 percent of the non-compliance cases during the vaccination period.
Citing global health data, Mallam Yushau said vaccines have saved over 150 million lives in the past 50 years, according to the World Health Organization, noting that more than 30 life-threatening diseases can be prevented through immunization.
He outlined key activities lined up for the coming exercise to include community awareness campaigns, routine immunization services, health talks in schools and workplaces, as well as social media advocacy to further boost acceptance and coverage.
The dialogue brought together critical stakeholders to strategize on improving vaccine uptake and addressing misinformation, particularly in hard-to-reach and underserved communities.
Cov/Shindong Bala
