Campaign starts Oct 26
The campaign starts in the northwest
October 26, shifts to north east November 30, the north central by
February 1 and all southern states by March 8.
The federal government has released N3.5
billion to fund the campaign and the Federal Capital Territory and the
36 states of the country are also to pay their counterpart funds into an
account dedicated for the vaccination.
Findings from the National Primary
Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) showed that, as at Monday, only
four states - Kebbi, Borno, Imo and Nasarawa - have released the
counterpart fund for the exercise.
Eight states - Edo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Niger and Zamfara - have approved, but yet to release the funds.
The remaining 25 states and the FCT showed neither evidence or release nor approval.
Kano State, it was gathered, has
partially released N9 million out of more than N50 million, leaving
local governments to pay the balance.
The Federal Government through the
Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development
Agency (NPHCDA) and development partners have unanimously said that
states that do not release their funds by September 15th, 2017 (today)
would not be allowed to participate in the exercise, Daily Trust learnt.
NPHCDA Executive Director, Faizal Shuaib
told a press briefing in Abuja on Monday: “We cannot continue to have
poor quality coverage campaign in this country that leaves our children
susceptible to measles infections and deaths.”
Low coverage for measles vaccination has
increased transmission of the disease-causing virus among children less
than 10 years old, Shuaib said.
Our position, by states
Plateau State government said it was yet
to provide its counterpart funds to the 2017 Measles Vaccination
Campaign because the state only received the letter to that effect
within the week.
The state commissioner of Health, Dr.
Kunden Deyin told Daily Trust in a telephone conversation that, “we just
received the letter this week and we are doing everything possible to
try and meet the deadline.”
Deyin explained that though funds for
the counterpart funding was not captured in the budget, “we are trying
to dialogue with our Chief Executive but anything can happen in the next
three days.”
On the September 15th deadline, Deyin expressed optimism that, the federal government will likely, “shift the goal post.”
Zamfara State Commissioner for Health,
Alhaji Sulaiman Adamu Gummi, said “I’m in Saudi Arabia now (Tuesday);
call me again two days later so that I will have ample time to confirm
from the officials at home.”
Mr Sola Fasure, the Media Adviser to the
Osun State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, said the state government’s
payment of counterpart funds for the campaign was inhibited by technical
accounting hitch and that it would be resolved in the next two days
(today).
In Sokoto State, the Executive
Secretary, Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Sokoto Adamu Abdullahi
Romo, said Governor Aminu Tambuwal had approved the counterpart funds
for the measles campaign but for bureaucracies of transfer of funds from
state government account to the agency’s account. According to him,
N27.9 million was approved as the counterpart fund.
Also speaking Commissioner for Health,
Dr Balarabe Kakale, said the state government accords top priority to
health and that it had never failed in such exercise. We did it last
year and we had done it the previous year, he said.
As at press time, the Cross River state
government was yet to confirm if it had paid her counterpart fund as
government officials and officials in charge of health matters in the
state refused to speak on the fund despite several calls and text
messages sent to them.
The commissioner for health in the
state, Mrs Inyang Asibong advised our reporter to contact her
counterpart, the commissioner for International Development and
Cooperation, who, when contacted did not respond to the enquiries.
A mother whose son suffered from the
disease, Mrs Helena Essien Itu in Calabar South local government area of
the state said lack of adequate vaccines at primary healthcare centres
and even at tertiary health institutions in the state have made many
children die from avoidable childhood diseases.
The Federal Capital Territory is set to
pay her counterpart fund as the proposal has already been sent to the
Minister Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello for approval, Acting Secretary of
the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), Mrs Alice
Achu-Odey said.
Also speaking, the Acting Executive
Secretary, FCT Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Mattew
Ashikeni said that planning has commenced in earnest “As we speak,
various committees that will continue from micro planning up to the
macro level have already been established and they have commenced work.
The FCTA is partnering with World Health Organisation (WHO) and training
has taken off at different levels and we are very hopeful and
optimistic that when the final approval comes from the Minister, other
activities will also unfold.”
The Kwara State Commissioner for
Information, Mallam Mahmud T. Ajeigbe, said the state government has
approved the payment of the funds and payment will be made soon.
In Anambra State, the Commissioner of
Health, Prof. Joseph Akabuke said the state is not indebted to any
counterpart funds as far as 2017 is concerned. He however said that of
the 2018 coming up in March was being worked on.
The Executive Secretary, Yobe State
Primary Health Care Management Board, Hajiya Hauwa Larai Goni, could not
confirm whether the state government has paid the counterpart funds or
not.
But, in a text message to our
correspondent, she said they have submitted the proposal/request to
central government for approval.” We are awaiting approval and release
from the Federal Government,” she said.
The state commissioner of health, Dr
Muhammad Bello Kawuwa said he believed that the state government must
have paid the counterpart funds because it has never failed.
“Although it was not paid through my
office but, I will soon confirm and get back to you” he added. We had
not gotten a response as at press time.
World Health Organisation (WHO) Country
Representative in Nigeria Wondi Alemu commended the Federal Government
for the prompt allocation and complete release of funding for the
campaign, adding “Several lessons have been learnt from past campaigns,
and great potential exist in country.”
Experts worried
Experts have also expressed concern over
the high rate the disease in young children. The disease is caused by a
virus which is usually passed through direct contact, and through the
air.
“The highly contagious virus that lives
in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person can spread to others
through coughing and sneezing and the virus can live for up to two hours
in an airspace where the infected person coughed or sneezed,” said Dr.
Olajide Joseph Adebola, a global eHealth expert and President Society of
Telemedicine and eHealth “If other people breathe the contaminated air
or touch the infected surface, touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they
can become infected.”
Medical experts said measles, if not
well managed in children, could lead to deafness, mental retardation,
convulsion, leave them vulnerable to other diseases, and in extreme
cases death.
In 2014, measles was recorded in 190 children in the north, according to surveillance data.
Last year, incidence of the disease climbed to 527 children out of every one million.
The movement of internally displaced
persons from recently liberated areas has made local populations
increasingly susceptible and exposed to the disease.
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