- develops strategies to reach children in conflict zones
From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Borno has rolled out the third round of immunization of children against polio from April 14 to 19.
Director of Disease Control and Immunization at the Borno Primary Healthcare Development Board, Fatima Ali announced at a media roundtable in Maiduguri on Monday that the immunization exercise will cover 10 local governments in the state.
“We have designed innovative strategies to close the immunization gap that occurred as a result of Covid-19 and insurgency which made some area inaccessible to health workers,” she disclosed.
She said the three-leg strategies include “Big Catch-Up, focus on immunizing all children from 24 to 59 weeks.
Others include Fix mobile centres, a mobile arrangement created at health facilities in the 10 local governments to provide immunization to children and ensure accessibility.
She said the outreach centers located some kilometres away from health facilities, were designed to provide immunization to areas difficult to reach or inaccessible due to the security challenge.
Ali also explained that the state immunization team is tracking movement of people from conflict affected areas to safer areas and ensuring children in such movements receive polio vaccine at entry and exit points through the outreaches strategy in collaboration with the security agencies
The state Immunization Officer, Maina Modu said the state held the first round of immunization in November 2024 and second round in February 2025. He urged parents and guardians to make their children available for the routine immunization.
According to experts, Poliomyelitis, commonly referred to as Polio, is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. The disease can lead to severe health issues, including paralysis and even death.