The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina has charged religious leader across the country to promote uptake of routine immunisation in their communities adding that the country loses about 2,300 children under five years old every day.
Dr. Aina gave the charge on Monday , September 23, 2023 at a 2-day Engagement Meeting with Religious Leaders on Vaccination, Maternal and Child Health held in Abuja.
He noted that religious leaders have power to dispel myths, correct misinformation, and encourage positive health-seeking behaviours of their congregations.
The meeting which was organised by the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development supported by NPHCDA, was a gathering of distinguished religious leaders, both Christians and Muslims, to discuss critical issues affecting vaccination, maternal and child health in Nigeria.
The NPHCDA Boss stated that religious leaders were not just spiritual guides but also advocates for the well-being of their followers.
“Your influence on parents can make the difference between a child dying from childhood diseases and another surviving because the latter was protected with vaccines”, he said.
Aina also stressed that the health of a nation was intricately tied to the health of its women and children adding that healthy mother ensures a healthy family, and a healthy child was the foundation of a prosperous future.
He however, said, in many parts of Northern Nigeria, particularly in rural and underserved areas, demand for essential maternal and child health services remains a challenge.
“Too many women still die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, and too many children fail to reach their fifth birthday due to preventable diseases.
“Every day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under five years old children and 145 women of child bearing age. Most of these deaths are occurring in northern Nigeria”, he said.
The ED also disclosed that Nigeria was currently witnessing intense transmission of the circulating variant poliovirus type 2(cVPV2), with a total of 70 cVPV2 from 46 LGAs across 14 Northern states.
This, he said was an indication of continuous transmission of the virus due to low routine immunisation, and refusal of vaccines during polio campaigns.
He, therefore, called for change and urged stakeholders to ensure that every woman had access to antenatal care and every pregnancy was delivered by trained and skilled midwives.
On his part, the World Health Organization, Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo in his goodwill message, commended His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Emir of Argungu, and the Religious Leaders for their steadfastness in the fight to stop the transmission of cVPV2 in communities, strengthening routine immunization and reducing morbidity and mortality from Vaccine-Preventable Diseases.
Mulombo added that the partnership was a critical vehicle in achieving broader goal of Universal Health Coverage, and it is imperative that this collaboration continues to be nurtured and sustained.
“This partnership is also aligned to the Primary Health Care (PHC) approach, the bedrock of Nigeria Health Policy, and a whole-of-society approach to health that aims to ensure the highest possible level of health and well-being, equitably distributed across all communities”, he said.
