The Adamawa State Government has partnered with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to strengthen immunisation against measles, diphtheria, and meningitis across the state.

The initiative targets zero-dose children and is being supported with funding from the Republic of Korea.

The Chief of the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Nuzhat Rafique, disclosed this at a one-day orientation meeting for officials of the Primary Health Care Development Agency and partners in Adamawa State on Wednesday.

The meeting focused on strengthening immunisation and essential health services in nine prioritised local government areas of the state under a coordinated partnership framework.

Ms Rafique said the initiative aimed to bridge immunisation gaps, noting that about 2.1 million children in Nigeria had never received any form of vaccination.

She urged parents, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to support vaccination campaigns to protect children from preventable diseases and improved public health outcomes.

The UNICEF Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, Jacob Vasumu, said the meeting aimed to develop a clear work plan for effective implementation and coordination among stakeholders.

He said it also focused on agreeing on intervention strategies, roles of state and local authorities, and mechanisms for accountability and risk management in health service delivery.

The Adamawa State Commissioner for Health, Felix Tangwami, commended UNICEF and partners for their support, reaffirming the government’s commitment to improving healthcare services, particularly for children.

He said widespread vaccination coverage would significantly reduce disease outbreaks and improve child survival rates across the state.

The Chairman of the Adamawa Primary Health Care Development Agency, Suleiman Bashir, described vaccines as highly cost-effective and urged participants to fully engage for successful implementation of the programme.

He said the state government had provided an enabling environment to ensure effective delivery, stressing commitment to reducing mortality from measles, diphtheria, meningitis, and other preventable diseases.

(NAN)