Niger holds one-day Media orientation ahead of Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign
By: TUNDE BOLAJI, MINNA.
The management of the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with UNICEF and other development partners, has organized a one-day media orientation to sensitize journalists on the forthcoming Measles-Rubella vaccination campaign scheduled for October.
The campaign, which targets children between the ages of nine months and fourteen years, aims to strengthen immunity and curb the spread of measles and rubella across the state.
The Commissioner for Primary Health Care, Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed Dangana, commended the media for its role in promoting public health initiatives.
He called on journalists to intensify awareness efforts to ensure parents and caregivers present their children for vaccination.
The State Health Educator, Mohammed Alhaji Usman, emphasized the critical role of the media in mobilizing communities and dispelling misinformation about vaccines.
He urged journalists to use their platforms to educate parents and caregivers on the importance of immunization.
Also speaking, the State Immunisation Officer, Abubakar Usman Kpantu, highlighted the state’s preparedness to ensure the success of the campaign, assuring that all necessary logistics and vaccine safety measures have been put in place.
UNICEF’s Social and Behaviour Change Lead, Grace Odeyemi, stressed the need for sustained community engagement to achieve high coverage, while UNICEF SBC Facilitator, Abdulkadir Mohammed, conducted sessions on effective communication strategies to address vaccine hesitancy.
The training brought together media professionals from across the state, equipping them with accurate information and advocacy skills to support the upcoming vaccination exercise.
