United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stated that no single Nigerian is expected to be a victim of poliomyelitis following the present age and advancement in healthcare delivery services.
The Chief of Field (CFO), UNICEF Bauchi Field Office (BFO), Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, disclosed this on Thursday during the flagging off the Walk Awareness to celebrate the 2024 World Polio Day.
According to her, “We must rise and try to support our children U-5 to stay healthy and give them a chance to grow to their best potentials. And I am thanking our survivors, who are here with us.
“We are celebrating the Polio Champions with us today because they are also raising the awareness that no child should be affected by poliomyelitis. Every child has a right to have this vaccination and stay healthy and rest and enjoy the best of his life.
“So, please, we are all One in this very important mission and we should continue it till we achieve it. No, children should remain without vaccinations.
“Efforts have been intensified to ensure that all zero dose children are identified and made to receive the vaccination stressing that the issue of Zero dose will soon be over.
“And it is the moment of promising ourselves that we will achieve it together. Thank you very much.”
In his remarks, Word Health Organization (WHO) Coordinator in Bauchi, Dr. Mustapha Mai’Iyali explained that the occasion is to celebrate the survivors of poliomyelitis the world over in order to give them a sense of belonging.
He stressed that, “The whole essence of Polio day is a day to raise awareness about devastating effects of the disease and not only for you to speak, but to take action and spread the message of awareness.
“It is also about raising awareness. So that our families, our mothers, our fathers can allow their children to receive the vaccination, so that children cannot become victims. It is also a day to celebrate because you are our heroes.
“Like the people we have here, all of you are polio Heroes. You are helping us to reach families, to mobilize families, to raise awareness and to increase the need for more support, so that we can protect our children for a better future.
“So, I call on all of us to please continue in mobilizing our families, our communities so that we can have a healthier community, and we will have healthier children, so that we can have a brighter future,”
