The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has tasked media practitioners to be fully involved in immunization campaigns so as to attain zero dose children status, reduce mortality and morbidity rate in Nigeria.
Dr Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, who made the call in Gombe during a media engagement and a healthcare facility visit, said that the role of media practitioners in ensuring that every child is fully immunized in the country could not be overemphasized.
According to her, UNICEF in partnership with Gavi Vaccine Alliance had embarked on healthcare system strengthening in the Northeast under the Gavi PHC MoU as well as increased sensitization of people on the need to access them.
“The health system is for people and people need to come and use these services and you, the journalists, are the backbone of the whole society because you can spread this message.
“You can create an awareness among communities about these services and their importance.
“You can advocate how important it is for every child to be immunized, how important it is for every pregnant woman to be delivered at the facility with skilled birth attendants.
“And this is the main thing that can save our children and mothers. So that is why this media engagement is important. Now at this meeting you have known about this project and what we have been doing,” she said.
Rafique also charged journalists to monitor and file awareness reports highlighting the positive stories that come out of the behavior change of communities accepting the services.
This, she said, would further encourage more people to accept and go to healthcare facilities to access their services.
She explained that Health Social Insurance Scheme was also established under the Gavi PHC MoU to cater for the medical bills of the most vulnerable and indigent women in the society where they can access free medical treatment hitch-free.