The Kebbi State Governor, His Excellency, Comrade Dr Nasir Idris, has identified synergy among stakeholders as a veritable tool towards achieving a polio-free society.
He made this known while flagging-off Polio Outbreak Immunisation Camping at Government House, Birnin Kebbi on Saturday.
Gov. Idris has broken the jinx, to be the first governor of Kebbi to personally flagg-off polio immunisation exercise in the state.
The governor urged traditional institutions, parents religious and community leaders, development partners and health workers among others to join forces against killer diseases in children under five years.
He assured that government on its part, would leave no stone unturned to ensure immunisation of all children across the state, including hard-to-reach areas.
Gov. Idris noted that “today’s event is not only symbolic, instead, it is an event that seeks to protect our children from preventable diseases.”
The governor expressed happiness that Kebbi was among the first states of the federation that eradicated polio disease at the early stage.
He appreciated the Emir of Argungu, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and health workers for their proactive roles in eradicating killer diseases, “however, these efforts will be meaningless if parents refused to cooperate to bring out their children for immunisation.”
In his speech, the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Muhammadu-Mera, appreciated the state government for its actionable efforts that culminated into a huge success of the exercise.
The Mornach, who is also the Chairman, Traditional Council Leaders Against Polio, assured that collaboration of all stakeholders would never be in vein.
Earlier, the Kebbi State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Yunusa Isma’il, described the campaign as crucial to the success of kicking polio and other children killer diseases out of the state.
While commending the present administration for focussing attention on issues relating to health of the people, the commissioner observed that primary health of individuals was a responsibility of government.
In a goodwill message on behalf of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and all other development partners working in the state, Dr Nasir Zurmi said Kebbi was the only state in Nigeria that recorded 100 per cent success in the campaign.
Zurmi said following the active efforts of the state governor in eradicating the child killer diseases, Kebbi and Bayelsa were selected for the flagg-off of the newly invented malaria vaccine.
