The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has assured that the Administration will do everything possible to strengthen the entire routine immunization structure and primary health care landscape in the nation’s capital.
This, according to her is in total commitment to the vision of Mr. President to polio eradication in Nigeria.
Aliyu gave this assurance at the first meeting of the FCT Taskforce on Polio Eradication Initiative and Routine Immunization for the year 2022 to discuss and strategize on matters of routine immunization activities.
The minister who was represented by her Senior Special Assistant on Administration, Prof. Muhammad Usman, noted that through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, the Administration is already rehabilitating the Primary Health Care infrastructure, engaging additional health workers and providing essential medicines to further strengthen the PHC sector
She also noted that the efforts of the Taskforce has contributed significantly to the success of polio campaigns in the territory with no wild Polio Virus confirmed in FCT for over 7 years, just as she called for regular meetings of the Taskforce.
The minister used the occasion to call on chairmen of the six area councils to strengthen commitments to the polio eradication and routine immunization activities in their various councils by regular release of counterpart funds and personal attendance at all meetings of the FCT Task Force on Polio Eradication Initiative and Routine Immunization.
Meanwhile, the Mandate Secretary, Health and Human Services, Dr. Abubakar Tafida, revealed that the secretariat would deployed 1,639 teams in 4 days starting from January 22 to vaccinate 1165981 under 5 years children in 2,837 communities across the territory.
Tafida charged participants to identify numerous challenges facing immunization landscape at the FCT area council and community levels with a view to finding solutions to those challenges.
It would be recalled that in 2015, Mr President personally signed the reviewed Abuja Commitments document on behalf of the Federation while the Chairman, Governors’ Forum signed on behalf of the 36 States Governors and the Minister of FCT to ensure a Polio free Nation with clear responsibilities for each tier of government.
