Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi on Saturday identified synergy among stakeholders as a veritable tool for achieving a polio-free society.
He made this known while flagging off polio outbreak immunisation camping at the government house, Birnin Kebbi.
Mr Idris is the first governor of Kebbi to personally flag off a polio immunisation exercise in the state.
The governor urged traditional institutions, parents, religious and community leaders, development partners and health workers, among others, to join forces against killer diseases in children under five years.
He assured that the government, on its part, would leave no stone unturned to ensure the immunisation of all children across the state, including hard-to-reach areas.
Mr Idris expressed happiness that Kebbi was among the first states to eradicate polio disease at an early stage.
He appreciated the Emir of Argungu, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and health workers’ proactive roles in eradicating killer diseases.
However, he noted that efforts would be meaningless if parents refused to cooperate by bringing out their children for immunisation.
In his speech, the emir of Argungu, Sama’ila Muhammadu-Mera, appreciated the state government for its actionable efforts that culminated in the huge success of the exercise.
The monarch, also the chairman of the Traditional Council Leaders Against Polio in the state, assured that collaboration of all stakeholders would never be in vain.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Yunusa Isma’il, described the campaign as crucial to kicking polio and other child-killer diseases out of the state.
While commending the administration for focusing attention on issues relating to the people’s health, the commissioner observed that the primary health of individuals was the government’s responsibility.
In a goodwill message on behalf of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and all other development partners working in the state, Nasir Zurmi said Kebbi was the only state in Nigeria that recorded 100 per cent success in the campaign.
Mr Zurmi said that following the active efforts of the state governor to eradicate child killer diseases, Kebbi and Bayelsa were selected to flag off the newly invented malaria vaccine.
(NAN)
