Governor Dikko Radda has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to closing immunisation gaps and strengthening maternal and child healthcare through collaboration with Save the Children International United States (SCI-US).

Mr Radda gave the assurance when he received a delegation of the organisation on a courtesy visit on Monday in Katsina. The meeting followed the delegates’ visits to project sites to assess ongoing interventions in local communities.

The governor said his administration remained committed to improving access to quality healthcare for women and children and addressing the direct and underlying causes of malnutrition. He also reiterated the state government’s resolve to support interventions that would improve immunisation coverage and protect vulnerable children from preventable diseases.

Sandra Youssef, senior project manager for Africa at SCI-U.S., commended the state government for supporting the CORE Group Partners Project and immunisation partnership.

Ms Youssef, who supports the organisation’s Nigeria country office and its Katsina operations, said her visit provided an opportunity to assess the project’s impact on communities and interact with beneficiaries.

“I have been behind the scenes for so long, so coming this time to see what the project has been doing is amazing. Seeing community health services, immunisation for children and pregnant women receiving care is great work,” she said.

Ms Youssef thanked the state government for its hospitality and collaboration, adding that the organisation hoped to sustain the partnership in 2027, subject to plans and funding. She said continued collaboration could facilitate additional funding, extend the reach of interventions and enable more communities to benefit from healthcare services.

Mustapha Shehu, executive secretary of the Katsina State Development Management Board, said SCI had implemented development interventions in the state for more than two decades. He said immunisation was among the organisation’s major areas of intervention, alongside basic education, nutrition and school safety.

Mr Shehu explained that the organisation also supported immunisation activities across communities and had worked with other partners to strengthen healthcare delivery. According to him, the organisation’s programmes aligned with the priorities of the state government’s Building Your Future agenda.

(NAN)