HEPATITIS VACCINATION: ZAMFARA TARGETS WOMEN AND CHILDREN
The Zamfara government has targeted women of childbearing age and under five children for Hepatitis prevention vaccination.
The State Commissioner for Health Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, disclosed this in Gusau on Wednesday at the 2022 Bi-annual Healthy Baby Show and Sensitization on viral Hepatitis B prevention.
The event was organised by the State Ministry of Health in collaboration with State Primary Health Care Board and Health Partners.
Abubakar represented by the Executive Secretary State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Isma’il Tukur, disclosed that women of child bearing age and under 5 children are targeted with immunisation against the disease.
According to him, the Hepatitis virus kills more than HIV AIDS and road accidents.
The Commissioner added that the Healthy Baby Show is organised bi-annually to present awards to children who received complete doses of the required immunisations and observed exclusive breast feeding.
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“The present administration in the state under Gov. Bello Matawalle, has been making efforts to bring health care services to the citizens at grassroots level.
“The national policy on health has prescribed the integration of other health services during the conduct of any activity and making it one plan, one budget as a means of reducing wastage.
“The essence of the sensitisation was to protect those that are not infected though vaccination.
“While those infected be identified and hold against tendency of progression to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma”, he added.
According to Abubakar,19 million cases of Hepatitis B infection are recorded in Nigeria affecting both aged and under 5 children which has become alarming and serious issue of concern.
He stressed mother to child transmission as the key agent of contracting the disease.
The Commissioner called on parents and caregivers to ensure getting their children immunized and also tasked them to go for screening against Hepatitis viral in order to know their status for quick actions.
Earlier, the Sole Administrator of Gusau Local Government, Alhaji Sanusi Sarki represented by his Vice, Alhaji Sirajo Magami, assured the council’s readiness to invest more in the health sector of the state.
The occasion was attended by representatives of the UNICEF, State Emergency Routine Immunization Coordination Center, Federal Medical Center Gusau among others.
