By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
The Executive Secretary of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib has expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to sustain Nigeria’s Polio Free Status.
Shuaib made this known today at the 3rd Quarter Meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Health Care Delivery , NTLC, in the country.
While speaking at the opening of the meeting, Dr Shuaib said,” Last week, we completed one year as a wild polio virus (WPV) free country.
He noted that the achievement is due to the collective efforts of all the Royal fathers comprising the Sultan of Sokoto, NTLC members and all traditional and religious leaders across the country for their collective, sustained support and continuous mobilization of their communities at ensuring vaccination is widely accepted by all and that Nigeria remains Wild Polio Virus, WPV, free.
The NPHCDA boss also emphazied that that Nigeria’s wild poliovirus free certification is not under threat.
As a way of further strengthening community efforts across the country, the agency boss said, ” The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; (Ọjájá II), is providing leadership in the systematic engagement of the Traditional leaders in the SouthWest with the Southwest Traditional Leaders’ Committee on PHC delivery which was inaugurated by the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire on 2nd of September 2021 at his Imperial Majesty’s palace, Ile-Ife.”
“This shows that our traditional leaders have the interest of their community at heart and are collaborating with the Government in ensuring basic healthcare services are available to the people.”
Speaking on the different contending disease outbreaks in the country such as COVID-19 and Cholera , CVDPV-2 he disclosed that the agency is adopting the Primary Health Care Services Integration better known as ‘the whole of family approach’ for this second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination.
It entails checking the blood pressure and assessing the diabetes risk status of clients 40 years and above and screening children 0 to 12 months for malnutrition and routine immunization status, he explained.
He finally gave the advise,” After vaccination, we encourage all Nigerians to continue to observe the COVID-19 prevention protocols – wear facemask, observe hand hygiene, physical distancing, avoid crowds and unnecessary travels until we achieve herd immunity.”
