Gombe to deploy 14,300 officials for mass immunisation campaigns against killer diseases

No fewer than 14,300 Gombe State officials are to participate in the Integrated Mass immunisation Campaign Against Measles, Yellow Fever, Meningitis, Tetanus, Polio, and vitamin A deficiency, commencing on the 16th of June 2022.

Disclosing this on Wednesday during a media briefing, Dr. Habu Dahiru, Commissioner for Health, Gombe State, said the officials would be trained to deliver on the assignment.

He stated that about 3.1 million persons were expected to benefit from the exercise, adding that vaccination teams would be at fixed posts in health facilities, temporary posts within communities, and mobile posts at special places, such as mosques, churches, schools, and playgrounds.

The Commissioner said, “We have 14,300 personnel. They are vaccinators, recorders, community influencers, and those who coordinate the activities and the team supervisors. We also have community leaders. 

We will have to do refresher training for them so that we don’t get adverse effects.”

He revealed the statistics of previous outbreaks from April 2022 based on confirmed laboratory cases, noting that they include; Measles 114 cases, Meningitis 12 cases, adding that efforts were on to forestall a resurgence.

“We are all aware that diseases such as Measles, Yellow fever, Meningitis, Tetanus, Polio, and vitamin A deficiency amongst others still pose a major challenge to public health,” he added.

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While calling on residents to use the opportunity of the immunisation exercise to get themselves immunised as well as their children, Dahiru stressed that the exercise was a deliberate effort to improve the health of the people.

Dahiru said, “Measles vaccine; children aged 9 to 59 months, Meningitis (Men-A) vaccine; children aged 10 to 11 years, Yellow-Fever vaccine; children and adult aged between 9 months to 44 years, Polio vaccine will be given to children aged 0 to 59 months, Vitamin-A Capsules; children 6 to 11 Months (Blue) and 12 to 59 months (Red).”

The Commissioner lauded the support of traditional and religious institutions, as well as the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and donor partners.

“This campaign is for both male and female, children and adult, married and single. 

“We commend the State Governor and the Primary Healthcare Development Agency, all development partners, and religious and traditional institutions for their total support and cooperation,” the Commissioner said.