5th October, 2019
Dr Dorcas Danlami, a Public Health expert, has said that healthier and immunised communities would help children growing in such areas to become productive members of the society.
Danlami said this on Friday in Abuja.
The expert said that paying details to children immunization would ease families’ burden on medical health services.
She said that it would also allow parents put in good man hours in their work and businesses instead of facing catastrophic healthcare challenges and costs.
According to her, immunisation is the only intervention that brings the majority of households into contact with the health system at the basic level.
Danlami said that there was need for the Nigerian governments to strengthen registration and data quality across the country to ensure children did not miss out on life-saving vaccines.
According to her, Primary Health Care(PHC) and public health interventions, like immunisation, must extend to those left furthest behind in the country.
Danlami noted that attainment of good health should not be used as a political tool, pointing out that Nigerians needed good health to grow their economy.
“Our biggest problem is poor stewardship of our resources. Investments in public health is the only way to guarantee security and economic sustainability.
“Immunisation programmes strengthen national facilities, infrastructure and expertise to support wider health services,” she said .
Speaking on the new era of global immunisation, Danlami stressed the importance of reaching areas left behind, urging Nigerians to accelerate progress towards immunisation by offering more support to local governments and communities.
“Such support will aid the achievement of the Agenda 2030 Vision of leaving no one behind in getting vaccines to children in the hardest-to-reach places.”
Danlami, however, called on government to strengthen routine immunisation because it was critical to establishing a good foundation for sound health.