From Mustapha Saye, Kaduna
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that all eligible children are reached and vaccinated during the November Supplementary Immunisation Plus Days (SIPDs) campaign in Kaduna State.
The campaign is aimed at strengthening routine immunisation and protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases through intensified vaccination activities, community engagement and improved monitoring.
UNICEF said the exercise would prioritise reaching every eligible child, particularly those in underserved communities and settlements where access to immunisation services remains a challenge.
Speaking on the monitoring approach, Yusha’u said the strategy was designed to strengthen accountability and ensure that eligible children were actually vaccinated. He added that two additional mop-up days could be organised where necessary to reach children missed during the exercise.
Also speaking, UNICEF Social and Behavioural Change Specialist in Kaduna, Ibrahim Muhammed, urged journalists, social media influencers and youth advocates to intensify public awareness and counter misinformation about vaccines.
He called on media practitioners to provide accurate information on eligible children, vaccination dates and locations, as well as the importance of immunisation in protecting children and communities against vaccine-preventable diseases.
The UNICEF official stressed the importance of collaboration among government agencies, health workers, traditional and religious leaders, community mobilisers and the media in ensuring the success of the campaign.
He further emphasised that accurate information and sustained community engagement were essential to building public confidence and encouraging parents and caregivers to present their eligible children for vaccination.
UNICEF reaffirmed the importance of reaching every eligible child, noting that no child should be left behind in the collective effort to improve immunisation coverage and safeguard children’s health across Kaduna State.
