By Mustapha Usman
The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has urged journalists in Kano State to motivate communities to accept polio immunisation.
The UNICEF Kano team leader, Farhat Mahdi, Thursday at a meeting with Journalists For Health, JFH, ahead of the April’s round of the National Immunisation Plus Days billed for April 22.
The team leader called on the reporters to use their communication skills to persuade the communities to accept the immunisation.
Mr Mahdi also tasked the JFH members to further enlighten the community leaders on the importance of the exercise as well as the dangers associated with the failure to accept the vaccinations.
“You are communication experts. Try to use your communication skills to motivate the communities accept the immunisation. Try to meet the leaders of the communities and motivate them to embrace the exercise,” Mr Mahdi said.
The team leader also commended the reporters for their commitments to the success of the Polio programme in the state, saying “your contribution to the success of this programme is commendable. You have performed wonderfully.”
“Media is indispensable in any campaign, especially health campaigns. You are doing your best and we commended you for that. Thank you very much,” he added.
In his remarks, the Kano State commissioner of Health, Kabiru Getso, said the state would celebrate three years without a case of polio by July, 2017.
He added that the state government was committed to providing effective healthcare services to the citizenry.
He also revealed that the state government would soon provide functional Primary Healthcare, PHC, units in every ward across the 44 local government areas.
