Federal Government has moved to consolidate the feat achieved in the eradication of Wild Polio Virus (WPV) in Nigeria by providing logistical support – motorcycles and laptops, to frontline routine immunisation officers in low performing states.
Supported by the World Bank and the World Health Organisation (WHO), the 456 motorcycles and 456 laptops will help the frontline workers penetrate inner cities and villages where immunisation has been low, to gather quality data about their status, which will inform critical decision making, planning and management.
The Executive Secretary of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, made this known on Friday in Abuja, during the commissioning of motorcycles and laptops for routine immunisation officers in poor performing states.
He said, “We experienced a situation where the lockdown prevented people from being able to access primary healthcare centres. So, there was a decline in practically all primary health care services.
“As at the last time we checked our data, we have now started to see that primary health care (PHC) services, especially routine immunization, is going back to the levels that they used to be before the COVID-19 pandemic. We are pretty confident that with better understanding of COVID-19 pandemic, people are more confident and will access primary health care services, and indeed all healthcare services.
“Never before in the history of Nigeria have we seen more than a doubling of routine immunisation coverage within such a short period. Today, as we try to improve and get even beyond where we are today, we are donating these motorcycles and laptops to frontline workers.
“Only three years ago when we declared a state of emergency on the low routine immunisation coverage, we also recognised that it was going to take more than rhetoric to make sure that we achieve our ambition of ensuring that no child in Nigeria is left behind when it comes to getting the vaccines that they need to grow into healthy and productive adults in our society.
