The Jigawa government has targeted 3.1 million children from the 27 LGAs of the state for the October integrated measles-rubella polio vaccination.

Shehu Ibrahim, the state immunisation office of the Jigawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, disclosed this while addressing journalists ahead of the 12-day exercise, beginning on Monday.

Mr Ibrahim said out of the targeted number of children, 1.5 million would be vaccinated against polio.

The immunisation officer added that children between nine months and 14 years will receive the MR vaccination, and those between zero and nine months will receive the novel oral poliomyelitis vaccination.

He also said that children between zero and 23 months will benefit from routine immunisation, and those who are nine years old will receive the human papillomavirus infection vaccination.

”We have 150 teams ready for the exercise across the 288 wards in the 27 LGAs of the state. In our strategy for implementation, we plan to use schools and tertiary health facilities as fixed posts. We will also use schools, worship palaces, markets, and banks, as well as nomads and border settlements, as temporary fixed posts.

“Another strategy is the house-to-house, where sweep teams will begin working to search for children who might have missed the polio vaccine,” he said.

In his presentation, UNICEF project facilitator in the state, Shuaibu Jibrin, highlighted the roles of journalists in the successful conduct of the exercise.

Mr Jibrin listed accurate information destinations, creating awareness and demand, community sensitisation, addressing misinformation, advocacy and influence, mobilising action, as well as monitoring and reporting on the campaign.

Also, Kabir Mustafa, the coordinator of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency in the state, urged the participants to disseminate adequate and accurate information about the campaign and counter misinformation and disinformation with genuine information that will ensure active community participation in the exercise.

(NAN)