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An advocacy team of stakeholders of the Partnership for Revival of Routine Immunisation (RI) in Northern Nigeria (PRRINN) led by HRH Dr. Haliru Yahaya, OON, Chairman BOT, HERFON visited Katsina State on 24 June 2008 in pursuant of the effort to improve Routine Immunization (RI) coverage in Nigeria.

The team was received by the Executive Governor of Katsina State His Excellency Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, Deputy Governor His Excellency Alhaji Bar. Sirajo Umar Damari, Honourable Commissioner for Health Alhaji Danlami Garba, and Emir of Katsina His Royal Highness Alhaji Abdulmuminu Kabir Usman, ably supported by the Wazirin Katsina Dr. Abubarkar Lugga.

Welcoming the team, Governor Shema thanked them for coming to support the state government

and people to fulfill their mandate and aspiration of reducing mortality and morbidity due to vaccine-preventable diseases. He assured of the State government’s acceptance of the team’s message and commitment to doing “everything possible” to increase immunization coverage in the State through Routine Immunisation. He expressed appreciation to the DFID and PRRINN, and urged them to continue to take interest in the health and development situation in Katsina, while assuring them of the cooperation of his government always.

 

Similar sentiments were delightfully expressed by the Honourable Commissioner for Health Alhaji Danlami Garba

BOT Chairman and RI Advocacy Team Leader HRH Dr. Halilu Yahaya, OON, Emir of Shonga (right with microphone) speaking to the Emir of Katsina HRH Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabiru Usman (left). Sitting on the floor is the Wazirin Katsina Alhaji Dr. Abubarkar Lugga.

Receiving the delegation in his palace, the Emir of Katsina, HRH Alhaji Usman – who is a former Chairperson of Immunisation committee in the State, pledged to continue to support RI in the State and country, emphasizing that RI must be integrated into PHC. He opined that the government should make PHC functional in the country, and advised that Development Partners and government should support other health activities along with immunizations.

 

 

 

 

At meeting with His Excellency Governor Ibrahim Shema (second left); BOT Chairman HRH Dr. Halilu Yahaya OON (second right) advocates for more commitment to Routine Immunization in Katsina. His Excellency Alhaji Bar. Sirajo Umar Damari (1st left), Deputy Governor Katsina State and Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe (1st right), Executive Secretary HERFON listen with rapt attention.

Addressing the Governor, as he did in speeches at the Ministry of Health and the Emir’s palace, the team leader and Chairman of HERFON’s BOT HRH Dr. Yahaya, expressed the team’s delight to be in Katsina State. He note Governor Shema’s expressed commitment to providing better health services in the State, as epitomized by the establishment of the Katsina State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) as a parastatal body, adding that this will surely reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of Katsina. He emphasized that an appropriately-delivered Routine Immunisation (RI) regime is one of the best ways of ensuring better health of mothers and infants/children, and reducing the State mortality and morbidity figure for preventable diseases, which have remained deplorable due to very low immunization. “We hasten to advise that unless the children get all the protection through timely and routine immunization before they are one-year old, death might take them away from us before they are five years old” HRH Dr. Yahaya advised.

The Partnership for Reviving Routine Immunization in Northern Nigeria (PRRINN) is a five year, DFID funded program. Four states with immunization rates less than 10% have been selected for PRRINN support: Jigawa, Katsina, Yobe and Zamfara with the overarching goal of reviving routine immunization and strengthening primary health care in these states. The objective is to support these states to improve their immunization coverage to have 60% of children fully immunized; 70% of women TT immunized; measles incidence reduced by 80%; the incidence of polio reduced to near zero; and, ANC uptake increased by 50% by 2011. 

PRRINN aims to achieve this in partnership with the state governments through its support for the development and implementation of health policies, strengthening immunization and PHC systems, increasing community participation in the demand for, and supply of, routine immunization and ANC services and carrying out research to inform these activities. PRRINN recognizes the potential for better health for the children of Katsina State and has chosen Routine Immunization as the most effective strategy for achieving this.

 

The team included HERFON’s BOT member Dr. Sulaiman Sani Wali, North West Zonal Chairperson Mr. ZA Gyas, Executive Secretary Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Chairpers of HERFON Katsina state Dr. Muhammad Qabasiyu and his Executive Committee members, World Health Organisation (WHO) State Coordinator Dr. Ado Bwaka, State team leader for COMPASS Haj Hassana Ibrahim and her Polio plus counterpart Haj Aisha Lawal, PRRINN’s State Team Leader Dr. Sam Bugri – and Social Mobilisation Officer Dr. Usman M. Matazu, Social Development and Mobilisation Advisor Dr. Susan Aradeon, HERFON’s ZPO for North West Alh Ubali Abdullahi respectively, HERFON’s Advocacy and Communications Manager Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje, and other officials of the SMoH.